Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Julia W]

Hi there,

 

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about giving some toys to chickens to stop them from getting bored, though I'm not sure if they're bored or not. They have a very big run about 26ft by around 15ft maybe a bit bigger, I've never measured it. The Eglu sits on a concrete base which I can walk all the way around. They have a low perch in there and an old garden picnic table, the type with the seats attached to either side, it's far too rickety to be used now as I had it when my children were very small and my youngest is now 25 but couldn't bear to part with it as they used to play with their playdough on it and do painting etc. I digress.(I thought that giving it to the chickens would stop hubby throwing it out andit worked). I hang up greens for them on an old macrame pot holder and also have a wire basket attached to the inside of the run and put greens or other veg in there for them to pick at but they don't last very long. Has anyone got any ideas of what chickens might like to 'play' with?

[smartrus]

Hi, my chickens love to free range, never boring! But if this isn't an option, then a dust bath is great! It's not exactly a toy but they love it, spending ages in it. Also I have a pile of logs I got from the woods which I pop corn in and other treats like meal worms. They love that too! To be honest, any rummaging for food activities do the job. I don't think it's really worth spending out on toys as such, just natural activities. Anything where they can get a bit of height is also good, but sounds like you've got that covered with the bench(good idea by the way!).

[Julia W]

Thanks Smartrus, I like the log idea. One thing I do quite often is when I take the straw out of the nesting box I throw it onto the ground and spread it out then throw some meal worms down and they love to scratch around for them, they go mad. I shall try other ways of hiding tit bits for them as you suggest. Free ranging isn't really an option as we have lots of foxes around here being really rural and unless I was out there watching Mr Fox could easily get in and that would be the end of my lovely girls so we built the run really big so they had lots of room. Thanks again for your suggestions it's given me some ideas.

[LottyJ1]

We have in the last week cut/sawed a coconut (only cost 80p in waitrose) in half and drilled holes in to hang up and they love it! Takes them ages to eat an lasts about a week. Now its empty i'm gonna fill with mixed corn and molasses type mix for the winter. We also have a dust bath and the best I have found is one of the trub rubber buckets filled with soil.

[BadGardener]

Can you give them some big pot plants to hide behind? Seeing as how they're jungle fowl and all.

[daxigirl]

Mine have got a chair and there's a chimney pot on it's side also they have the base bit of a birdbath. Got an idea for a chicken tree for the bantie kingdom so watch this space.

[Julia W]

Thanks for the coconut idea LottyJ1, I'll certainly use that. To Badgardner, I was paving areas to put bins on which I store their food and straw in and there are a couple resting up against the posts that hold the chicken wire around the run and I did notice one of them going behind that so I might put a few more things in there for hiding behind. I do have plant pots but they are around the edge of the run, I worked in a pub and they had loads of artificial plants in pots they were getting rid of so I asked if I could have them, they not only convince visitors but they make the run look much nicer and not so bare. They do try and strip the artificial leaves but soon realise they can't eat them. Thanks for the great suggestions. Now all I need to do is convince them that standing in the rain when it's pelting down like today really isn't that good an idea especially when there are plenty of places for them to shelter under - why do they do that? Yes, I know - brain the size of a knat ha ha.

Thanks Daxigirl for your suggestions too and I shall watch this space.......

[Sue]

They like jumping up on things - don't make it too high as landing from a height can cause bumblefoot.

Throw any wheat or corn in the bedding rather than just putting it where they can eat it all at once

They like a dust bath slightly dampened sand or fine soil is good, and you can add diamatious (sp) earth to help with parasites

Cabbage apple or sweetcorn hung from string

Greens in netting bag hung from string

Piece of turf grass side up

Oats in seed tray, water till sprouted and about 3 inches high then removed from tray so they can eat tops.

[UKMARCH]

I got one of those yellow chicken balls I thought they'll never use it as not the brightest but they love it. The head hen monopolises it she has worked out how to roll it around and the others pick up what they can I think I'll get another. I also saved one of my old car tyres when I had to replace them a couple of months ago and they love it too its quite wide and must be just the right curve for perching on sometimes they like to walk round it and jump off sometimes 3 or 4 will perch around it together,its outside at the moment and I think I'll put it under cover when the weather carries on being wet as they like it so much.

[Sue]

I got one of those yellow chicken balls I thought they'll never use it as not the brightest but they love it. The head hen monopolises it she has worked out how to roll it around and the others pick up what they can I think I'll get another. I also saved one of my old car tyres when I had to replace them a couple of months ago and they love it too its quite wide and must be just the right curve for perching on sometimes they like to walk round it and jump off sometimes 3 or 4 will perch around it together,its outside at the moment and I think I'll put it under cover when the weather carries on being wet as they like it so much.

 

With the car tyre have you noticed if they perch with their head facing outwards? I read somewhere that they mainly do, so the poo tends to collect in the middle making it easier to clean the place up. If that's the case I might get some for mine

[Simondegaris]

Hello!

 

I brought off Amazon a bird toy. Its a small round cage with the bell attached to it and you can stuff it full of green and use the chain attached to it to hang it in the run. They go mad for it jumping to get the greens which is well packed in take ages for them to get! It cost around £5 with postage and was a birlliant spend!

 

Also if you get some corn on the cob you can either chuck that in or again hang it in the run. Skewer through the middle of it with a knitting needle or chopstick thread string through it and again hang it in the run. Great fun to watch them!

 

Also with logs I have just got some and will be drilling various shaped/sized holes in to them to hide feed and treats should keep them properly occupied for ages!

 

Hope this helps!

[Cheeky Chooky]

Also with logs I have just got some and will be drilling various shaped/sized holes in to them to hide feed and treats should keep them properly occupied for ages!

That's a great idea

[UKMARCH]

 

With the car tyre have you noticed if they perch with their head facing outwards? I read somewhere that they mainly do, so the poo tends to collect in the middle making it easier to clean the place up. If that's the case I might get some for mine

 

Hi Sue, I think that's wishful thinking mine always face in that's what makes me chuckle as it looks like they're having a mother's meeting although it may depend on the curve of the tyre as to what's more comfy?

[Sue]

Huh..... another good idea bites the dust

[TooLilac]

I usually hang a cabbage up on a string to keep them busy, and when we have surplus leaves from brassicas or beetroot from the garden, I have a little wire basket (like a manager) that they love eating from.

Last winter I was worried about them being 'cooped' up while I was at work, so I got a cat toy. I put a scoop of corn in and it keeps them busy for ages.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SLIMCAT-TREAT-FOOD-DISPENSER-PLAY-BALL-TOY-KEEPS-CATS-KITTENS-FIT-SLIM-CAT-/160667294127?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Cats&var=&hash=item25688459af

I have to say that my two crafty legbars got the hang of it straight away, but the less bright Black rocks couldn't understand what the fuss was about

I also tried a cat dish on a timer, so that I coudl set it to pop open to give the girls last afternoon corn when I was at work. The theory was they'd get some warming corn even if it was dark by the time I got home. The reality was that they wrecked it on the first day and pooed all over it!!!

I still think it was a good idea, and am thinking of ways to mount the dish on the underside of a perch so that the corn drops down for the girls, but they won't be able to poo on it. in theory !

[dutchie]

Do yours like cabbage?

 

Mine dont have any interest in cabbage.

 

They have fun with tomatoes though.

[Cheeky Chooky]

Do yours like cabbage?

 

 

And cauliflower

 

They love apples too

 

 

And grass clippings (as long as they're short)

 

[zakjon-98]

Love the pic of the frizzle jumping for the cabbage

[LottyJ1]

Love the pics Cheeky Chooky!

 

Mine will strip a cauliflower in hours and I only have three! They love it! Its fab to watch.

 

They also love brocolli, spring greens, corn on the cob! Not spoilt at all!

[Cheeky Chooky]

We're mad aren't we

[LottyJ1]

We're mad aren't we

 

Yes but happy when playing with the chooks!