Penned while out of town - entertainment ideas?

[Tracyree]

My girls have been free ranging for the last month and loving it. We are going out of town and they'll be confined to their run (coop access of course) for 6 days. Ugh. The run is 500sqft for 7 hens, but it's just dirt.

I am planning to seed it mid April, but that doesn't help for this trip.

Hanging cabbage and such will only last a day or two, then the old cabbage will be molding ....

Ideas on providing them vegetation? I have someone coming to collect eggs and check feed/water, but they won't be up for more than that.

 

[Odelia]

Did you say 500sqft for 7 chickens? That is huge. You could put a whole chicken playground in there! Start with a chicken swing. Yes! Chickens like swings too.

Here is a link for the official chicken swing. Personally I would go with a stick and two pieces or rope. It is a cost thing.

https://www.fowlplayproducts.com/the-chicken-swing.html

I think you are starting to get the idea.

 

[donrae]

Will the sitter have access to your house? Can you just leave some greens in the fridge for them to feed out?

If not, maybe a cooler near the coop?

If not fresh greens, other things can work, too....

A handful or two of scratch tossed in the run can keep hens busy for hours looking for it.

I keep pieces of plywood in my run, laying on the ground. Bugs and worms collect under them and I flip them over every few days to let the birds have a buffet.

A small bale of alfalfa hay does great--the sitter can toss in a flake every other day or so. Be sure they have some grit.