John

[Luvachicken]

Well after 5 mths of my girlies arriving the garden is trashed and i was feeling a bit like Karen who asked if she had done the right thing.

They have had the whole garden since february and today was the day i decided they could only have some of it. But now i feel really guilty - even though they have my tiny veg patch and a flowery bit where my sweet peas are growing - but at least i have the rest of the garden, my dog can't eat the poo and the girlies can't trash my grass any more.

But once they have finished gobbling all their own bit of garden and there is nothing left i can just see they will pace up and down making me feel even more guilty - what can i give them to keep them happy ?

They love a huge trough i have filled with soil that i hide corn in but they can't have that yet until they've made a space. I don't really want them to just have mud which is what it will turn into. Any "toy" ideas would be great . Thanks

[Helly Welly]

Get some dog balls that have lots of holes in, as if made of mesh, and fill it with spring greens leaves or cabbage etc. You could hang up some apples from handy branches or make some sort of overhanging thingy. Make sure they have enough room to sunbathe. Maybe see about making some different levels with planks of wood. We used an old section of desk and made a ramp to go up to it and then put corn on that, like a mezzanine.

 

Have fun

[Tweety]

I have put lots of perches at different levels in the run for my girls. You can also hang up cabbages etc, and mine enjoy having a go at a hanging Peckablock. As Helly Welly says, a sunbathing area is good too.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks to you both, that helps.

I can't believe how much damage they have done already so i don't think it will take them long to detroy the whole lot.

I 'll get the "toys" ready while they are munching their way through.

[Plum]

They like the garden they destroy. Mine have created craters under the trees to dustbathe in. It's more like a lunar landscape. I have put logs and branches in their bit of garden so they have to climb over and make them feel they are moving into different areas. I've moved shrubs down there that they don't eat and am going to cover the fence posts with tiles to make it look brighter. Old plant pots or curved roofing tiles give different levels to jump on and off. Shrubs give shade as well as making obstacles they have to move around.

Hope that gives you some ideas. Mine stay in cube run most of the day then come out late afternoon, evening and more at weekends. I let the girls onto the top grass for the odd couple of hours every few weeks and it survives fine.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks Plum, i'll have to see if i can find some logs for them. I have a lot of empty pots so they might like to jump on them too until i find the logs. Does it matter what trees they are from ? I know they don't eat the log but i wouldn't want to put in something that is bad for them.

[Plum]

The mouldier and full of insects the better