mcphail Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 I have not had any problems with bored chickens as yet but I do feel guilty leaving them in the run all day while I'm at work. I hang greens when possible but theys never last long. I have heard of CDs being used to amuse them. Does anyone have any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 hanging broccoli (mine love broccoli) or cabbage/kale/spinach etc. I also bought some seed bells from local garden centre £1.99 for huge bell - made with seeds and honey (not animal fat) and they love that also. A perch to stand on? Scattering treats in the run also keeps mine occupied as they spend ages forraging for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 hanging broccoli (mine love broccoli) or cabbage/kale/spinach etc. I also bought some seed bells from local garden centre £1.99 for huge bell - made with seeds and honey (not animal fat) and they love that also. A perch to stand on? Scattering treats in the run also keeps mine occupied as they spend ages forraging for them. ive been looking around for the seed balls but no luck, can u give me a name of them with honey, are they fattening, do they last them a while? do u use them instead of a treat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanut12 Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 ours ignore broccoli and CDs but like small footballs and corn on the cob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilda-and-evadne Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 ours ignore broccoli and CDs but like small footballs and corn on the cob. Could I ask: do you have to cook the corn on the cob first, or it be given to the chickens raw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 hanging broccoli (mine love broccoli) or cabbage/kale/spinach etc. I also bought some seed bells from local garden centre £1.99 for huge bell - made with seeds and honey (not animal fat) and they love that also. A perch to stand on? Scattering treats in the run also keeps mine occupied as they spend ages forraging for them. ive been looking around for the seed balls but no luck, can u give me a name of them with honey, are they fattening, do they last them a while? do u use them instead of a treat? They are much the same as peckablocks, mine are BELL shaped. I dont know the name off the top of my head but I will be buying some this week so I will let you know . I hang them in the run and they last 1 - 2 weeks. They are quite hard so take some pecking so it keeps them occupied. Im not sure about fattening but I have cut down big style on my treats, mine only have their morning pellets, broccoli in the run and organic corn before bed and thats it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah B Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 I have not had any problems with bored chickens as yet but I do feel guilty leaving them in the run all day while I'm at work. I hang greens when possible but theys never last long. I have heard of CDs being used to amuse them. Does anyone have any ideas? I reckon mine look a bit bored in the day and that's when I've been here over the weekend? They are new so confined to run at present. I'm wondering what to put in the run before I leave for work tomorrow, I'm waiting for my hanging feeders to turn up. I've put a perch and a mirror in there lol. Might try the small plastic ball? What is this thing re the cd's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanut12 Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 we just buy the frsh corn cobs when they are getting short of date in the shop, then chuck it in the run. I never thought about cooking it but the girls love it, strip it bare in under 5 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Corn on the cob is fine raw. The CD reflects sunlight (hah ) & they'll supposedly peck at it. I bought a seed bell from a garden centre recently - "Wild Bird Seed Bell Jumbo" - it lists "organic binder" and is made by Bulldog Products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomalexi Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 My hens love having a mirror to look at in their run. And they got a calander of cockerels for Christmas: it's hanging up in the run, but I must remember to change it to March when I get home as I think they're bored of the hunk that is Mr February! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treekeeper Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I've got a large mirror in my run keeps 'em amused for ages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I have never thought of a mirror, what sort? Like the ones that budgies have? We gave ours a football after watching the Hugh programmes and they were terrified of it Hanging up cabbages, lettuces etc keeps them out of trouble for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treekeeper Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Mine's an old bathroom mirror about two feet square Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomalexi Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I bought a cheap free standing plastic framed bathroom mirror from Woolworths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah B Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I bought a cheap free standing plastic framed bathroom mirror from Woolworths. We got a 99p one from Morrisons and cable tied it to the inside of the door they do like having a look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Hi ya, we've put a perch in there and a bell of wild bird seed but the one that's with honey, not with fat as it's too fattening for them. I've also bought a metal ball with slots all around it whereby you put cabbage and other treats in there and hang it in the run. Not put it in just yet but will do. A mirror sounds like a fun idea, bet they will think there's more hens for the pecking order! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Cluckbok, Where did you get the metal treat ball from? I'd be interested in seeing one Amanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Hi ya, the metal ball has a clasp at the end of a chain to attach to the run and a bell at the bottom. I took the bell off, thought may drive us nuts! Got it from our local pet shop but I sure somewhere like Pets at Home would sell them. We live in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Noticed you getting the gingernut ranger, we not let ours out yet as we only had them two days! but the friendlist so far is the gingernut ranger Rosie and she is the first to lay aswell, she laid on the first day and again today! Gingernut is a good choice. The others are friendly too but the most enthaustic about coming over to the edge of run to see us is Rosie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I have bought some chain to hang from the top of the cubes and eglu. On the bottom I have peckablocks, those apple hanging devices from Haiths and mirrors which I cut from mirrored perspex. I also have branches that were being cut from trees down at the park by the council. They were quite happy for me to take them away for them. I still feel guilty every morning when I leave for work. So much so that I am saving up to have a 7mtr x 4mtr run built for them. I am planning to put the two cubes in the run and sell the run extensions to get some of the money back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Thanks Cluckbok. Our nearest Pets at Home is small and doesn't stock a great range but I'll have a chat to the lady at our local petshop, Maybe she can get something similar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabergé Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 And they got a calander of cockerels for Christmas: it's hanging up in the run, but I must remember to change it to March when I get home as I think they're bored of the hunk that is Mr February! That made me chuckle! I'm picturing them standing there & wolf-whistling! Look at the spurs on that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...