Under the tarp....

[j71]

I leave a tarp out in my backyard.....its pretty big say 20x20 or so...

It blows around a bit...moves some....

Anywhoot....Every night when I come home around 6ish I let girls out....and run over to the tarp...they follow in great anticipation....the excitement!!

I grab one end of tarp and run like all heck to the other, exposing all sorts of natures goodies.....underneath....bugs, creepy crawlies...etc...

They simply go nuts for 2min or so until its all gone.....lots of crickets which are fun to watch the girls chase em down....

Last night, we had a small toad under tarp......about the size of a quarter....I was gonna save him but.....Im no wheres near as fast as a hungry chicken....RIP lil toadie....you tried.....

Lay out a tarp, old blanket....whatev....itll certainly draw many creatures for your birds to enjoy

 

[WV_Hillbilly70]

It would be my luck it would draw in a darn snake!! Great Idea though!!

 

[swordgeek]

I thought I was the only one doing this! It's been so dry lately - can't remember the last rain we had - that I've been coming up empty. Every morning (in better weather), I'd peel back some of a tarp on the soil near the driveway and let them go for it. Whenever my spouse would fold it up to put it away, I'd put it back down again, and remind him why it's there. I do rescue the salamanders whenever I can get to them first, because I like them. Anything else is fair game. I usually have a few big plastic bags lying around with composted manure or extra mulch, and the girls know that if they follow me, I'll flip the bags for them. If I don't remember, they sometimes stand near the bags and squawk till I do it. They've got me well trained.

 

[gryeyes]

I've been using some old pieces of board for the same thing. Every few days, I turn those over for the girls to chow down on the newly revealed goodies.

Also very dry here, so I sometimes hose down those boards a couple of nights before turning them over the following day.

I LIKE the tarp idea, though!! Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Dora'smom]

My Grandma used to keep damp rags (I think sometimes with a little sugar water on them, maybe not just damp) in the crooks of the trees around the chicken-yard. Every morning she would go and shake those out for her girls. Lots of earwigs, etc. .

 

[j71]

Quote:
You know it!!

Just last week...a little ring neck snake, non venom.....sure enough one of the girls go right at it....pecks a few times, tosses it up in the air....back dowen......I felt I should save the snake as I know they usually do much more good then say bad....so, I saved her and re-released in an area where she should be safe...........................until next time...(evil laugh)