Toys for the hens?

[GoArmy]

My wife is worried that the hens are getting bored out there, now that it's cold and their bug friends are gone. She thinks the hens need toys. I said "Yes, dear."

What the heck do I give them for toys???? I have a cowbell I could hang in there for them to peck, but I think that might get real old after not too long. I saw something called a Chicken Fun Toy that's like a yellow rubber ball you can stuff treats into. Any other ideas?

3 hens. Small run (3' x 3' x 8') with a 3' x 3' x 3' coop on top. They are really pretty happy, the boss is just worried they'll get bored (and turn into juvenile delinquents, take up smoking, maybe steal bikes, I don't know).

Thanks!

 

[C17]

Ant farm?

 

[aoxa]

Quote:

 

[mommissan]

I read on one of these posts, put a box of live crickets loose in the coop.

 

[gryeyes]

Tether Cabbage!!

The hens will jump to pull bits off the cabbage.

In that photo, my dominant roo, Carl, pulls bits off and drops them for the hens. (He's such a gentleman!)

 

[FiveHens]

We've worked on that quite a bit for our 3 girls. We have outdoor perches, a "grass-box" (wire mesh several inches off the ground, plant grass under it, they can only peck off the tall bits) if it's not too cold where you are, put table scraps in a hanging plant basket for them to peck at, and we are going to put in a formal "dustbath area" (although of course they have their special place for it already). More than that, what adds spice to our girls' lives is periodic table scraps and scratch in the run, plus occasional free-range time. These measures go a long way towards keeping them from taking their boredom out on each other, especially in the winter. Good luck!

 

[GoArmy]

Tether cabbage is awesome I think they'll get one tomorrow!

 

[the-bird-man]

i have straw bales in my run, the girls love to jump on them and scratch at them trying to get any bits of wheat that are in them

 

[donna8424]

I washed out a couple of two liter bottles cut some small holes around it , add a hand full of scratch or boss put lid back on and watch the fun. I only had to show them one time on what comes out of the holes. You should see them kicking that bottle around, it is so funny

 

[joneus]

My girls have a small dog toy with a network of holes that I stuff treats into and toss into the run. I call it "chicken soccer" because they kick it around and steal it from each other!

They've also got an old bird cage hanging in there that holds 2 heads of cabbage nicely to give them something to do when they cant free range.