Poll on flock toys — please answer if possible!

[Pampered chicken girl]

We can’t free range all day for the same reason, but we let them out from about 4:00-5:00 (less hawks out then) under supervision. It works well and they are a very happy flock.

Unfortunately I do not live at the property I keep my chickens at, so I'd have to stay there and I don't have the time to spend watching the chickens for an hour. They are perfectly happy with plenty of room in their covered run

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

X2, I can't free range because we have hawks living on our property and a lot of coyotes and bobcats around.

Hawks, eagles, coyotes, loose dogs or cats would snatch them up in seconds if i could free range.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Hawks, eagles, coyotes, loose dogs or cats would snatch them up in seconds if i could free range.

Same, I'd be chickenless lol

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Same, I'd be chickenless lol

Yeah.
I have a hawk who watches my chickens but luckily a secure covered run protects that

 

[The Welch Chickens]

I have a hawk who watches my chickens but luckily a secure covered run protects that

I had a hawk come and land outside the coop… I heard their frantic squawking and came to check on them. They were all crammed into the nest boxes, ten chickens in three boxes! It wasn’t very funny at the time, but I laugh now remembering it

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I had a hawk come and land outside the coop… I heard their frantic squawking and came to check on them. They were all crammed into the nest boxes, ten chickens in three boxes! It wasn’t very funny at the time, but I laugh now remembering it

The hawk part isnt funny but 10 chickens in 3 boxes

 

[The Welch Chickens]

The hawk part isnt funny but 10 chickens in 3 boxes

I shooed the hawk off and saw 10 pairs of eyes peeping out at me

Imagine what it would be like now with 19 hens…. Although the number of nest boxes has multiplied lol

 

[Logar]

My opinion on giving chickens toys is it is more for the chicken keeper who is feeling guilty that chickens are confined. If you offer a chicken nature, to scratch and do chickens behaviors in vs. a pile of toys, you know what they're going to pick......

A dog would also rather have access a massive 50 acre field with other dogs to play with any time it wants to. But not everyone is able to provide that so daily walks are used to make up for the lack of a large area to run around in. All situations are different and what works for you might not work for others. If toys are used to counteract that lack of free ranging, then there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Not everyone can do that. I cant free range due to town rules. So i bring the things to my chickens. I give them piles of weeds weekly.

Just so you know, I did not say "free range." The thread digressed to that. You are doing what I actually said "give nature," by giving them piles to scratch in. I let mine scratch around in my compost when they're in the Run and I make sure the run has branches, logs, all of sorts of "Nature."

 

[SandyRiverChick]

A dog would also rather have access a massive 50 acre field with other dogs to play with any time it wants to. But not everyone is able to provide that so daily walks are used to make up for the lack of a large area to run around in. All situations are different and what works for you might not work for others. If toys are used to counteract that lack of free ranging, then there is nothing wrong with that.

Again, I did not say "free-ranging." But most people have said toys don't work. Writing a white paper on giving chickens toys should probably include the stats on success with that gathered right here.