Chicken bald back

[Doody]

Hi all,

 

I was just wondering if anyone can advise me on some entertainment for my chickens.

 

Obviously there isnt a Playstation or and Xbox yet for chickens, so i was wondering what in the Chicken world is fun to do.

 

Ive put some large branches in, logs, and make a sort of playhouse for chickens etc, but all they seem happy to do is eat, eat, eat, have a sand bath, eat again lol.

 

Was wondering if anyone has any ideas on maybe giving them some chicken fun in their lives lol.Then again, maybe they are more than happy doing the eat eat eat, sandbath lol...

 

Regards

 

Mark

[Chucky1]

How about a Rooster?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Mine love Sweetcorn Swingball .

[Doody]

How about a Rooster?

 

Hens would be happy, neighbours wouldnt lol...

[Doody]

Mine love Sweetcorn Swingball .

 

LOL, explain, and what are the rules...

 

Infact that is one thing i havent done yet, give them a whole corn on the cob etc!!

 

Ill try this tomorrow me thinks, as the only thing that seems to my girls go crazy is the sight of mealworms or fresh grass lol.

[tokenwelshman]

A CD (blank, or perhaps one of your family's favourites that you can't bear) dangling on a piece of wire seems to provide endless hours of for my lot. Whether it's just because it's shiny, or whether they're reacting to their reflection, who knows, but they peck away at it and don't seem to get bored.

 

Corn on the cob gets my vote too, they go mental whenever I throw one in.

[Lavenders_Blue]

Mine totally ignored the CDs I put in their run to play with

And the perch DH and I carefully made out of branches collected from the woods

 

They seem happy eating, digging holes and dustbathing.

 

Yours will be more than happy with the set up you have given them, but if you want to give them some extra hentertainment then I suggest a bit of trial and error (and don't spend too much money until you know what they like!)

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Mine love Sweetcorn Swingball .

LOL, explain, and what are the rules...

 

I can do better than that . Here's an instructional Sweetcorn Swingball video . Click on the photo below!

[Burtie14]

Yes, mine really has been a case of trial and error. They've ignored the CDs I've hung up, they go through fits and starts with a pecking stick, the football was of no interest, the cuttlefish was similarly ignored. However, they love water from a metalic bowl(!), they like a broccoli hung from the ceiling, and throwing a bit of grit into the aubiose keeps them scratching away for ages.

 

I am thinking of 'training' them, like on the "Private Lives of Chickens" programme the other evening - giving them challenges before they get their treats!

[Chucky1]

ANH - I like the way they take it in turns, nicely.

 

They must have been well brought up

[chick wiggle]

Love that video ANH, but im really more interested in that plant which is in the run. What is it and how on earth is there still leaves on it???

Come on, spill the beans, its plastic isnt it?

and if it isnt, i want one!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I've no idea . It happened to be there when the WIR was built so I left it. I thought it had died (as did another similar shrub beside it) but this summer it's back and looking healthy again . They don't seem that interested in the leaves now although they did eat them previously.

 

I chuck the contents of the glug on it every night which is probably why it's surviving.

[Doody]

Mine love Sweetcorn Swingball .

LOL, explain, and what are the rules...

 

I can do better than that . Here's an instructional Sweetcorn Swingball video . Click on the photo below!

 

Thats just brilliant, thank you for sharing that with us. Ill have to give that a go lol, brilliant.

[Dangri]

Mine love Sweetcorn Swingball .

LOL, explain, and what are the rules...

 

I can do better than that . Here's an instructional Sweetcorn Swingball video . Click on the photo below!

 

OMG this is brilliant, can't believe they don't knock themselves out with it! Just one thing, is that a cooked sweetcorn or just a bought and hung up as is sweetcorn? I love the idea too and think I might try it )

 

xx

[sadietoo]

We hang up whole raw sweetcorn like this for our girls..except we get it with leaves and silks and we only just start it off and leave them to strip the leaves off first they love it..

 

I've also had a great deal of success with one of those rodent treat balls. Filled with corn and mealworms and set to the smallest opening it really brings out the Lampard in my girls!

[Mr Rhode Island Red]

Hi,

 

Mr Rhode Island Red here.

Sweetcorn Swingball sounds brilliant, I'll have to try that out.

My own hens go wild for mashed potatoes and chips. If I put some out they will keep looking for it, long after they've eaten it all

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome, Mr RIR .

 

Dangri, I've used raw and cooked and both are a success. The only ones they wouldn't eat were the dried ones from Pets At Home.

[chick wiggle]

I've no idea . It happened to be there when the WIR was built so I left it. I thought it had died (as did another similar shrub beside it) but this summer it's back and looking healthy again . They don't seem that interested in the leaves now although they did eat them previously.

 

I chuck the contents of the glug on it every night which is probably why it's surviving.

 

I had some lemon balm and a palm tree in my run, they soon saw that off!

If you ever find out what it is please let me know, although it does look a little like a plant i dont think i could name on here

[Mr Rhode Island Red]

mine love sweetcorn swingball. They didn't notice it at all for about 4 hours but then they ate every kernal on it

[Mollie333]

Thats what i do, they love it.

[Burtie14]

I'm so grateful for the suggestion about sweetcorn swingball! It's transformed their lives!

 

I hang it a little higher so that it's out of reach and they have to jump to peck it. It makes it last longer, and gives them a good bit of exercise too. They look like little footballers, jumping up for a header!

 

Only trouble is their heads get absolutely covered in sweetcorn juice!