Poll: Do high-value treats turn your chickens into savages?

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

I had this brilliant idea to put a treat dispenser over the chickens' sand box. It works on a timer. Treats drop, everyone runs in, and they scratch through the sand looking for morsels. This, in turn, cleans their poopy feathered feet. Everyone wins, right?

Well... now the pecking order's in full throttle.

* flashback to last night *

The timer goes off. The treats fall. The only chicken to notice is the top bird. She begins to vacuum up the treats. The lowest ranking bird wanders over and SHE GOES FOR IT! SHE JUMPS IN THE BOX LIKE A CHAMPION! They're neck and neck, each racing to eat more pieces than the other. Top hen can't take it anymore. She hammers low hen's back. Low hen takes the blow and keeps eating, a true Rocky Balboa moment. Top hen hammers harder, again and again and again. Low hen cannot and will not stop eating those treats! Top hen has to pull out the big guns. She latches onto low hen's back and rips out a clump of feathers! Low hen finally relents and jumps out of the box, peering back over the wall in defeat.

I think these birds are nuts. So please, let me know, how do your chickens behave at treat time?

Sounds like a fun enrichment idea
Mine haven't (yet?) had the fun buggy treats.
They do like when I scatter grain around the run
Sometimes someone puts it in a pile and the birds seem to mostly ignore it?
If I put a pile of fresh grass clippings in, they freak out (because apparently carrying buckets isn't allowed) and then get really excited to scratch through that.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Sounds like a fun enrichment idea
Mine haven't (yet?) had the fun buggy treats.
They do like when I scatter grain around the run
Sometimes someone puts it in a pile and the birds seem to mostly ignore it?
If I put a pile of fresh grass clippings in, they freak out (because apparently carrying buckets isn't allowed) and then get really excited to scratch through that.

Thank you! I also thought it would be fun, not turn the sand box into a gladiator arena.

Chickens are so unpredictable as to what they'll like/dislike. Mine love buckets. I even slap some stickers on the poop bucket so they'll have something fun to peck at while I'm in there (instead of my legs, or the scoop, or the poop I'm trying to pick up, .... * sigh *).

 

[SamLockwood]

There's the usual pecking order reinforcement, but nobody gets that out of sorts since I tend to spread the scratch feed out over a pretty wide area. After a minute or two of chaos the flock sorts itself out and everyone peacefully munches away.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Thank you! I also thought it would be fun, not turn the sand box into a gladiator arena.

Chickens are so unpredictable as to what they'll like/dislike. Mine love buckets. I even slap some stickers on the poop bucket so they'll have something fun to peck at while I'm in there (instead of my legs, or the scoop, or the poop I'm trying to pick up, .... * sigh *).

It seems to be more of the things that are "moving" that they aren't used to that freak them out. If they can check it out, it's less scary.

Mine aren't used to tarps, but I recently added one for extra shade. Took them a few days to be able to be near it (doesn't help that it got windy so it was flapping and scary)
Now they can walk under it.
They still won't use their "playground" under it, though. Which they used to all gather on every evening to... I dunno, watch the sunset? Before sleep time.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

I haven't noticed that they've become more savage. However, I started off by feeding treats in a few different locations, that way the flock has little groups instead of a big group.

 

[DonyaQuick]

I must distinguish treat time from banana time with my birds. Treat time is moderately polite. But pecking order completely ceases to exist when banana is on the line. There is no time for peck. There is no time for order. There is only the desperate snapping of beaks that do not yet have banana and the screaming of those who somehow obtained too much banana for one bite and now must flee.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

I must distinguish treat time from banana time with my birds. Treat time is moderately polite. But pecking order completely ceases to exist when banana is on the line. There is no time for peck. There is no time for order. There is only the desperate snapping of beaks that do not yet have banana and the screaming of those who somehow obtained too much banana for one bite and now must flee.

Mine are not this frantic during banana time
(But they're young. They have time to learn to go... bananas)
They've always been picky about what foods deserve a peck
They don't like their veggies, they don't like most fruits
I might just have to go the full "this (chicken-safe-alternative-to) mac & cheese has a full serving of vegetables in it!"
I've been so close to just blending veggies >.>
Anything left over goes to the other coop, where the chickens aren't picky, and the muscovies eat all foods as if it's delicious.
Even celery
Which is not delicious

 

[Ext 918]

Most treats result in friendly relations.Butternut squash results in a feeding frenzy. Canned Critters Insect Blends results in a mash-up of UFC and WWF, and my legs are not exempt.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Mine chase after the treats, frequently abandoning the perfectly good one that they have, and attempt to steal them from another. But no pecking, etc., either offensively or defensively.

I think they burn up more calories running around and playing keep-away with treats that they actually consume.

 

[CombNWattles]

The pecking order is pretty settled in my little flock of five. The two older hens rule the roost, and the three ‘babies’ are polite.
It’s pretty funny to watch the ceremonial game of ‘keep-away’ that always goes with the arrival of a larger treat. Raven, one of the older hens who’s not as steady on her feet as she used to be, is remarkably quick in snatching treats. Then she waddles away at top speed, with the young hens slowly jogging behind, as though taking part in a walking race.

Sometimes when I feed them I set their dish outside and sit with them while they eat. If I pick up any food in my hand, it instantly becomes much higher quality and everyone wants it. They’ll all be tripping over the full dish trying to reach the little pile of food in my hand.