Substitutes for free ranging help please

[Dee Dee 2]

I am going to be away for about 10 days in June. My chickens will need to stay in the chicken yard while I am gone. They usually free range about 5-6 hr. a day. Some one will feed and water them daily but NOT LET THEM OUT. Is there something I can A. put in the chicken yard to substitue for them not being able to free range ? Like Alfalfa hay or ?? B. Is there something I can prepare ahead of time in zip bags and leave in the fridge to be thrown in the chicken yard daily. Thanks !

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I love the idea of "snack bags" - you could include just about any of the usual chicken treat foods with a variety for each day to give them a treat - so insects, vegetables, fruits, eggs (scrambled or hard-boiled), a cup of yogurt, a head of cabbage ready to be hung, etc

 

[yyz0yyz0]

Get a truck load of manure and dump it in the run, it will keep them busy for weeks digging through it.

Want to say "just kidding", but in a way I'm not. If you can give them something like that to dig through(compost/leaves/hay bales/manure) it will occupy them quite a bit while you are gone.

On the other hand, if their food and water is taken care of just go away on your trip and let them back out when you get home. They will survive, they will continue to eat/drink/poop/lay.

If it is just feed variety that you are worried about then yes, prebagged stuff will help. But again they will survive without the variety, up here in the snowy northland our girls suffer from a lack of variety in the winter but pull through with no problem and go right back to free ranging when the snow melts.

 

[Kelsie2290]

I really like bales of hay/straw in the run in a case like that, like some broken open and spread around and a couple still tied, toss some scratch/BOSS etc (or if the weather is OK even their pellets if that is what you feed) in / on the hay, it keeps them busy for hours. If you have enough hay/straw, just have them cut open another bale every day or so, if you have a garden you can just clean out the run and use it as mulch if you don't want to leave it in the run since it will probably be too messy. If they are willing, hang a head of cabbage or something like that (cage of greens) in the run also, large squash, pumpkin etc that takes them a long time to eat. Mine tend to go through flock blocks way too fast, but some people like those.

 

[Dee Dee 2]

Hey ! Some great ideas ! I think I will do all of them. Silly me I used to do the 'cabbage on a rope' but forgot about it. Dump some manure in ? I have PLENTY of that !, about all these horses are good for (^v^) When I get back I will have a lot more garden compost. I'll leave a few snack bags with yogart and greens in the fridge too. OH yes ! and meal worms ~ must have meal worms. One would think I am one of those over protective Mothers. Naw ~ I just like to take good care of my animals. I'm afraid I may come back reincarnated as one someday. haha just kidding. Thanks for all the great ideas one and all !