My confined chickens are slowly going mad

[pharmchickrnmom]

barbie--I drilled a drywall screw into the core of the cabbage and tied a rope around the head of the screw. I then hang it from a hook that I ususally hang a nipple waterer on during the warmer months. They love it and it keeps them busy. Whole fruit like apples and pears are also good for keeping them busy pecking at it instead of each other. I usually throw in two or three so the girls are spread out.

 

[barbieszoo]

Thank you! That is very good to know. I will be trying that for sure. I think they'd like cabbage, since they love lettuce and spinach. Tried the apple and so far they aren't crazy about it. It's so funny how each chicken has different food preferences, just like people. I can't get mine to eat BOSS or raisins, or tomatoes, but they LOVE grapes and leafy greens and yogurt.

 

[AlbionWood]

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40x40 is 1600 square feet.

 

[elmo]

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That was going to be my suggestion, too. We have the same issue with hawks here right now, so I've been confining my flock to the pen that has bark nuggets and dried leaves in it. The other runs have sand which is great for dust baths but after that, not much to do. When the flock finishes pulverizing one batch of leaves, I rake them out and replace with a fresh bag that I collected from our yard.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Some of the things i do for my girls . . . get in with a shovel and turn the dirt over, it uncovers new fun stuff to peck at. Various veggies tossed about, like cabbage, a head of lettuce, or other treats. Crickets and mealworms are good, but don't last long. Or i will toss a flake of hay in there for them to peck through. That gives them quite a bit of entertainment and lasts a long time.