Tips for keeping my girls Entertained?

[Chiko]

I have a small flock of 9 hens. They all get along well and live in a 15 by 15 foot pen, with a coop that they all fit in perfectly. The pen is all dirt and they have access to food/water/shelter/dust, etc. at all times, but I'm at school most of the day, and come home to find them just wandering around or sitting there in the corner. It worries me and I feel like a bad owner, is there anything I can put in the pen/coop area to keep them entertained? I can only let them out into the yard once or twice a month because my parents get upset with all the chicken poop all over the yard...So letting them out can't be an option. Just some tips on what to put in there\, or change. Any ideas will be helpful thank you! :yiipchick

 

[Summerlove]

When I have to coop my girls I sprinkle some food in the coop for them to scratch around for, it keeps them entertained. I recently saw a ball for chickens at the feed store. When they peck it treats come out

 

[cary 1973]

I buy the bird bells they have at walmart you hang in trees for the wild birds and I hag it in the coop so when they are locked in there and I hang it they have to kind of strech there necks to get it and hope it keeps them very very very busy i even find them in the coop though out the day plaing with it, I also make pine cone and penut butter feeders too ( https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/716394/pine-cone-treat-feeder) . I too though black sun flower seeds around the coop to keep them busy do you have a dust bath in there for them? 15 x 15 run with a coop seems good size to me maybe you can put like a little tabel in there so they can walk on top and below it and explore maybe add a few perches in different parts of the run plant some flowers or vine plants around the out side of the run but up agist it so they can peck at the leaves thew the wire bowl some speggiti noodles and throw them though out the run or have fun throw one in at time they think they got a worm and do the chicken run and song they do or you can go get them some night crawlers or worms and see they have some fun.

hope this gave you some ideas

 

[Chiko]

Thanks a lot! I've got some ideas!