What do you use to entertain your chickens in your run?

[bigoakhunter]

My chicks are 5 weeks old and out in a 8x16 run during the day. What do people put out to entertain their chickens? Any ideas would be appreciated. Treats? Hang things? Do you put a roost in the run?

The chicks entertain us, so I want to add whatever will keep them happy!

 

[PunkinPeep]

some people put out a "jungle gym" of sorts. One person used some sort of bed frame headboard leaned against a couple other things.

a friend of mine tied two old lawn chair frames together. the chickens love it. they roost on it, run around through the holes, etc.

 

[teach1rusl]

I paid $6 for an old wooden step ladder at Salvation Army. It's my chicken ladder. I also have large branches for perches (they haven't used them yet, as they're just babies now). Next spring I'm going to put some light catchers out there, and maybe a small chime....

 

[jwchicklady]

i just have a couple of large branches for roosting.

 

[Flintrock]

I have a roost.
I am also interested in hearing other ideas. I have heard of hanging a cabbage from the top for them to eat on. I only have 4 chickens. I am hesitant to put a whole cabbage out there.
I also saw a bird feeder, specifically a suet feeder with various raw veggies inside and it was mounted to the side of the run. Now that one i am considering. Hope you get more feedback on your post, i will be watching.

 

[Preservation Acres]

I put an old bunk bed ladder flat between two wooden "horses." They love it.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Mine are a lot older than yours but my birds have an old picnic table and a wire chicken tractor that they can hop up on. They love to get up on those and preen, especially before retiring for the evening.

 

[pixie74943]

A big seed block... the kind you buy in the supermarket and put out to attract wildbirds to your yard.. The chickens love it, once they worked out how to get the seeds off without it swinging back and smacking them in the face

funniest learning curve ever

 

[fldiver97]

I am planning on hanging cabbage and maybe some produce like kale and spinach on something in the winter. I have a roost in the run. Also put big chunks of squash or pumpkin or melon in so they can peck away. Yoy can also fill something like a wire basket for rabbits etc with greens. Scatter some scratch around in the run so they can dig and scratch in there. Some peple put a litter pan or flat container filled with dirt and/or sand in the run so the chickens can take dirtbaths.

 

[suburbanminifarm]

get a bale of cheap Alfalfa hay and throw a half a flake in there with some scratch, dry 10 grain oatmeal, crumbs, whatever. They LOVE to dig thru the hay to find the grains and it keeps them busy.