Leicester_H Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 Hi I know our chickens shouldn't be let out for the first 5 days - in fact I can't let them out of the run until our fences have been fixed on 17th April. So how do I keep them ammused in their run - they are itching to get out. Today Chickie was scrating around as if she wanted a dust bath, so I put in a tray of dry soil. They didn't bath but they both scrathed around for insects/grabs whatever for a good few hours which amused both them and us. I also gave them a few cooked green beans which they 'played' with for quite a while - it was very funny - Chickie always wanted the one Boo had just picked up. Any other suggestions for keeping stir crazy chickens amused ?? Thanks, H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 Mine play sweetcorn swing ball! I hang up a cob by screwing a cup hook into its centre and tie it up with a piece of string - it takes them ages to peck it off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 why not bury some of their treats in the run so they can do a chicken treasure hunt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 We play cabbage swingball, tie the string around the cabbage tightly and hang it up from the top of the run. They will jump up and bite bits off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 if you can still get sprouts on stalks then hang them up for "sprout" swingball too Also halve a watermelon and hang that up - in fact anything that makes them use their minds and isnt easy to peck at - dont let them jump too high - it puts them off laying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 they also enjoy mirrors to look at themselves in (old cd's strung up for example) and waking up to find an old log to sit on and dig around for insects in delights them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballgunner Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 my ones love mealworms which you can buy in reptile or fish shops they love them more than worms, they also love maggots which you buy in bait shops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CannyCat Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 We play cabbage swingball, tie the string around the cabbage tightly and hang it up from the top of the run. They will jump up and bite bits off! We do that with lettuce. They're usually devoured within the space of 2 hours, but they're only 32p from tesco! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 Hi Does the corn on the cob, cabbage need to be cooked ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 I dont cook the sweetcorn and i dont think the cabbage needs to be cooked either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellekatz Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 I put mine in raw and they love it!!! A corn cob may last as long as .................. 10 minutes at most with my girls!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Ours goes in raw also. Would the cabbage be cooked if a chook found it in the wild? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 mine wouldnt touch cabbage or corn on the cob hung up - silly girls Their favourite run snack at the moment is cucumber.....they love to peck the middle out and just leave a "tube" of skin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Sounds like it's worth a try. The tortoises can then have the skin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Oh cucumber - now theres one to try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Mine LOVE cucumber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Try a bunch of celery...we got some in opur veg box and can't stand the stuff but the chickens loved it. I also used a dog ball which is full of holes and stuffed cabbage or cauliflower leaves into it which the then threw around trying to get the leaves out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 I gave mine a seed bell for wild birds from the local garden centre. They enjoy pecking at that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Just bought a little metal cage from a garden centre, intended for fat for wild birds I think, but I stuffed it with pak choi and hung it up ... ten minutes later, it was empty! I'm going to fill this every day with greens for them, as I can only let them out for limited periods. That's the only trouble with veggie treats, they don't last long. I'm not sure how bored a chicken gets, though - they do have quite tiny brains, don't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Mine are on hemcore so I scatter cut grass in the run they love it and keeps them occupied for hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I tried cucumber with my girls this morning and it didnt last more than 15 mins tops! Great in hot weather as its mainly water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted April 11, 2007 Author Share Posted April 11, 2007 Many thanks for all your replies. So far the sweetcorn goes down as fast as they can get it. Green beans seem popular. Not entusiastic about lettice leaves - will only eat them if they have nothing better to play with. Will keep experimenting until our garden fences are replaced next week and they can be let out to explore They (and we) can't wait. From what I've read, a. its basically safe to give them anything we'd eat (except avocado (and meat)) and they may or may not like it. b. some garden plants are dangerous, but they should know themselves NOT to eat them (as they would if they were 'wild' chickens ) Is this about right ? H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debratugwell Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Mine are on hemcore so I scatter cut grass in the run they love it and keeps them occupied for hours Hi - new at this and chickens will eventually be moved from small piece of grass they are currently on to a permanent bark chippings area. However, keep reading posts about hemcore and aubiose. Do you keep your hens in the run all the time, as you say you are scattering grass in there for them? Do you let them out at all? How will the hemcore cope outside when it rains? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Hi I use Aubiose in the run which is mostly covered over but the sides do get wet - the beauty of Aubiose is that it dries out very quickly - especially the top layer so the girls arent getting their feet wet My two get let into the garden as soon as I get home from work - they lover pottering about and digging up my gravel etc. Putting things like grass, mealworms, corn in the run and mixing it into the Aubiose keeps them amused for ages when they are in the run as they scratch away trying to find something tasty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debratugwell Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 when you say mostly covered over, do you mean with the Omlet cover or have you got some fancy awning??????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
