Boredom Busters (no idea is to big or small!)

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

Hi all!

My chickens lately seem kinda bored. They used to be completely free ranging chickens, until we had a Bobcat problem and we had to confine them to a run until we figure out another option.

They are very smart and active chickens, so my question is, are there any types of games or activities that I could set up for them to get them moving and thinking?

I already have dust baths, and perches, and tunnels, and leaf piles, kitchen scraps a couple times a week, etc.

The more creative the better! So please discuss all of your tips and tricks here. Thanks all!

-Summer

 

[azygous]

One of my best ones is a variation lots of chicken keepers use. I have a covered run and I screwed an eye screw into the roof supports. I take another eye screw and screw it into a jumbo carrot or a cabbage or an apple. I take a long cord and tie a caribiner or another sort of fastener to it and clip it to the eye screw in the carrot or other raw veggie. The chickens spend hours batting it back and forth as they grab nibbles off it.

Another very popular item is an empty plastic drink bottle with quarter inch holes drilled into it. I fill these, five or six for my flock of twenty, half full of BOSS and scratch grain. These last nearly all day and keep the chickens very busy.

 

[Iluveggers]

I have a hanging wire cage bird feeder. I stick thicker veggies like cabbage cores and rutabaga tops in it.

An untied straw bale is fun too. Don’t undo any of it, just the string. Don’t put it near your food or water or straw will be in it lol.