4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[C&T]

I am in the middle of an Hentertainment Eggsperiment!

 

We are off for a long weekend soon, so they will be shut up for all that time in their run, so looking for things to keep them quiet (as they won't be shut in their coop overnight) and keep them happy...

 

So I hatched a plan!

 

1) I changed their run around at the weekend, pulled out the old plastic roost bar things they had, and put in some logs, and long bits of wood wedged in the bars that they could roost on. Looked wonderful, and as the bark is coming off the logs, all sorts of bugs to find! They hated it, decided the wood was all evil, and refused to go to bed...

 

2) I bought a dog treat ball, the one you fill with treats and as the dog (or chicken in this case) rolls it around, the food drops out. This ball apparently is sooooo scary - cue lots of bokking and running to the opposite end of the garden!

 

3) Bought a wild food food thing for pecking at - a honey one, not a fat one - and a couple of Budgie treats that are seeds on a stick. Have put one of the budgie treats in the run this morning, it wasnt scary fortunately , but we will see if they like it when I get home tonight!!

 

4) Went to my Mums for dinner, and went 'weeding' round their garden. Came back with a load of green stuff, which put in a birdfood cage hanging from the top of the run - now THAT was a success - they loved it!

 

Anyone else got any ideas??!? Either on entertainment, or how to explain to two dosy feathered fiends that things are NOT that scary, and change can be a good thing??!?

[Budgies]

Chickens are real creatures of habit and don't much like changes.

 

If you're putting branches in their pen or house, strip the bark first. That way there's fewer places for the dreaded redmite to lurk - you risk a real infestation by leaving the bark on.

 

Mine never got used to the brightly coloured treat ball - they'd get very anxious and take wide detours around it!

 

I'm sure they'll be fine, just hang up some greens (like you've already found) such as cabbage leaves and that will give them something to peck at.

 

Mine didn't like a mirror, nor CDs hung up in the run to peck at!

[C&T]

Didn't think about the dreaded Red Mite making a home in the bark - thank you!!

 

I just though lots of bugs for them to find and eat...

 

Just as they are getting used to their run, I'll have to change it again!! Poor things...

 

I am still amazed at how we could completely re-design the garden without them batting an eyelid, but change one thing in their run and it's as though the end of the world has arrived! Bless 'em!

[peggotty]

Perhaps they are conducting a counter eggsperiment to see how many original ideas you can come up with?! Which they will then poo-poo!

 

My girls have resolutely ignored anything I have provided for them. As they stampede past me in the morning (does anyone else get overpowered by their hens?!) I think I recognise the body language :

'Never mind environmental enrichment of the run - let us amuse ourselves in the garden.'

 

I am away for a few days soon, and I know they are not going to be happy confined in the run - I think I will apologise to the neighbours for hen noise in advance.