MY CHICKENS ARE GOING CRAZY!!

[MeghanChickLady]

my chickens aren't really going crazy. My hens(and rooster) are just under a year old, I think, and have never seen a flake of snow in their lives! Well, winters coming for me, and up here, they're normally pretty big winters. Already, my coop is muddy and dull, my chickens are constantly flapping around(before they used to just walk around, scratch, peck, the usual) and if they're this crazy before snow, what`ll they do when they CANT go outside?

That's not my mine question. What Im really asking is, what can I do to keep my hens happy and busy? Any ideas? Ive set up perches in their pen, and even cut down a small pine tree and pinned it to their pen wall. They don't seem to care. Now that its wet season, Ive been putting their food inside, too, so they can scratch. But they are still hyped up and I am losing my mind. Also, my rooster is really goin at it. Do you know why this is?

Please help, Im only a new chicken-raiser!

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Treat balls (or plastic jars with holes drilled in them) full of scratch. Hand a head of cabbage for some chicken tether ball. Anything that combines food and having to work for it.

 

[smedly9921]

Peanut butter bird seed balls. Purina flock block, dog cong full of cabbage, bird suet. Anything that they can peck at that gives them something to do but lets face it for a chicken winter is really boring.

 

[MeghanChickLady]

Treat balls (or plastic jars with holes drilled in them) full of scratch. Hand a head of cabbage for some chicken tether ball. Anything that combines food and having to work for it.

Thank you, I`ll most definitely try this out come first snow

 

[MeghanChickLady]

Peanut butter bird seed balls. Purina flock block, dog cong full of cabbage, bird suet. Anything that they can peck at that gives them something to do but lets face it for a chicken winter is really boring.

Good ideas! Will do

 

[Mrs. K]

I just put hay in the run, if a storm is coming, I make a mini hay stack, then the next morning, after the snow, I just flip the hay on top of the snow, and outside they come! Chickens need to be outside during the day time, I would not recommend locking them in the coop, always leave the door so they can choose to come in or go out.

Mrs K

 

[MeghanChickLady]

My mother and I normally line the nest and inside with hay as well. I didn't think to put it outside. Thank you!

 

[kim10261]

I put a bale of hay in their run as well,their run is covered and for now until winter is really here the sides are open,however if the rain is hard blowing it soaks their run floor that is why I put the hay down so they are not standing on cold wet ground,they love it they scratch around in it all day,i throw scratch in the hay also so they have something to eat after all that scratching

 

[MeghanChickLady]

Yeah, I figured I would do that-give em something to do!

 

[aart]

my chickens aren't really going crazy. My hens(and rooster) are just under a year old, I think, and have never seen a flake of snow in their lives! Well, winters coming for me, and up here, they're normally pretty big winters. Already, my coop is muddy and dull, my chickens are constantly flapping around(before they used to just walk around, scratch, peck, the usual) and if they're this crazy before snow, what`ll they do when they CANT go outside?

That's not my mine question. What Im really asking is, what can I do to keep my hens happy and busy? Any ideas? Ive set up perches in their pen, and even cut down a small pine tree and pinned it to their pen wall. They don't seem to care. Now that its wet season, Ive been putting their food inside, too, so they can scratch. But they are still hyped up and I am losing my mind. Also, my rooster is really goin at it. Do you know why this is?

Please help, Im only a new chicken-raiser!

I'd look to see if there's another reason, other than 'boredom', that they are behaving that way before getting into winter where more confinement might be necessary.
Providing your location (put it in your profile) will help folks give more valid suggestions.

Do you have enough room in coop and run for the number of chickens that you have?
Do they usually free range and now are confined?

Do you have more than one rooster?....or too few hens for one rooster?
They may be trying to avoid an overzealous and/or under-henned and/or too aggressive rooster(s).

Has there been any changes or events that might have upped the stress level?
Adding birds, losing birds(predators), feed or housing changes, broodies, etc.