Chicken bald back

[clucker1]

With the enforced staying indoors from today, well my lot will be in their covered run not in my house, I did that once and once only, I thought it would be nice if we could share any chicken enrichment tips.

I'm presently on day 2 of merging newbies, today they were let out to free range twice to break it all up for them.

Normally I'm not one for enrichment malarkey as they free range. Now I'm up for it so they don't get too stressed and can wear their brains/bodies out a bit. At least the big girls will be getting used to the newbies and vice versa!

I seem to remember they like Brussel sprout stalks, will try that tomorrow .

[Olly]

As they won't be getting out, greens are good - I tie up anything green so they have to reach up for it, it gives them something to do. Or you could just put a cabbage in for them to kick around.

 

If you've got room in your run, any tree branches or similar that they can perch on - having different height levels gives a bit of variety.

[clucker1]

Thanks Olly, will try greens, they have tree stumps, tree branches, perches to dance around. I added several extra feeding stations yesterday as I'm merging and the old girls all wanted to eat out of the margarine tub I'd put in. They turned their beaks up up at their omlet grubs! However, if I move the tree branches around, they are petrified! Such funny birds! The up side of all this is I will end up spending more time with them and my 3 newbies Darcy, Alijaz and Kevin all ISA s are hysterical! Last night Kevin shoved some of the old girls out of her way whilst ascending the ladder going to bed.

[clucker1]

Has anyone tried using traditional bird feeders for chickens? Do they work? If yes, what have you used and what food have you put in them?

[Cat tails]

I have given up on the grub and only use the Feedr of Singing friends (Feedr without the third e). I love them!

Easy to use, and I like the fact that I can see how much there is left in the Feedr.

 

I have fed them grower pellets in the winter in the past and even sometimes a corn/pellet mix. Although wouldn't advise it.

[grahamrhind]

@Cat tails, can the hens easily get at the food in the Feedr (i.e. is the opening big enough)? I don't mind feeding most of Europe's sparrow population every day from the Grub, but they do get knee deep into the feed and mess there, which is unhelpful to say the least. Where did you get your Feedr? What was the price? I see they don't sell them through their website but I'm happy to hop across the border to get one if it's worth it.

[Cat tails]

It took them a little while to really get used to it. Had the grub and Feedr up at the same time for a while, but they quickly only ate from the Feedr. One not so smart hen took some time to realize she couldn't get to the food through the clear plastic, but a few grains of corn in the opening also did the trick for her.

 

Opening is large enough for hens to eat from. It isn't very deep, so they only really stick their beak in it.

 

I think it's around €10 and got mine from a garden centre (Intratuin has them), but my local pet store also stocks them. You might want to see if any Dutch online sites sell them and send to Germany. Edit: if you click on Wo zu kaufen? It will show you where to get it. Mostly in the Netherlands though. Are you close to the border?

 

I first got it for the wild birds, but they weren't really interested. Tried it on the hens, and they love it. Food stays dry in it, no clumping and no mold either, which I did get in the Grub.

[grahamrhind]

Cheers! I'm just 6 km from the border and I see a garden centre in Denekamp has them, so that'd make a nice day out

[Cat tails]

Oh! The famous ginormous garden centre in Denekamp! Has loads of christmas stuff. Went there once (I'm on the other side of the country), spend a few hours there but ended up buying little.

 

I've had my Feedr's for two years now I think. Maybe longer. Thinking of replacing one of them since it has faded a bit, but still works fine. Used cable ties to fasten them to the run.

[clucker1]

Thanks Cat Tails, will look into . What about feeding veg peelings? I was thinking this as I was peeling my carrots today. Anything to test their brain. Adding more feeding stations today seemed to add interest to their day, especially as some were put up high.

[Blackrocksrock]

Mine dont like carrots, I gave them half a cabbage for greens yesterday and they always get the end if the living

lettuce when it gets older. But they love boiled potato peelings in winter.

[clucker1]

Thank you, yes I remember I used to give my chickens cooked potato peeling when I first got them. Meanwhile, day 4 of merging ok....with no free ranging thank goodness they are feisty ISA girls!

[Hippie Chick]

Mine enjoy carrot peelings and the outer leaves of cabbages and for some reason will go crazy for cucumber! They demolished a cooled jacket potato the neighbours donated once so maybe I'll do an extra one next time for them. They hate sprouts (can't disagree with them there!) and have turned their beaks up at broccoli today which they usually like.

 

Just before I learned of the incarceration order I ordered a few of those Nutri-Peck and Nutri-Sect hanging blocks in preparation for the bad weather when they're not allowed out so I'll be trying those soon. They also have a xylophone waiting for me to fix it in their run

 

I'll be shredding some of the tree prunings from the garden so they have some fresh wood chippings to scratch around in too. Plus I'm spending more time with them in their run just chatting to them and cuddling the ones that like being picked up. They're all pretty friendly and like attention normally so I don't want them to miss out now they can't get to me as easily.

 

I've been meaning to get a mirror for them for a while now, I've heard that they are intrigued by them so now I've remembered I'd better go and buy one!