Simply make some holes in a clean and dry plastic bottle and fill with their favourite scratch mix, Mealworm Treats or cracked corn. Your hens will be active and challenged for hours as they try to scratch and peck those treat treasures out. Chickens like to be challenged and are curious and playful at heart.
How do you enrich a chicken run?
Providing enrichment is a best practice when it comes to poultry husbandry. “An easy, cheap item to encourage activity is to hang a head of lettuce, or other leafy greens, from the roof of the coop for the chickens to peck at,” Dishaw suggests.
What can I give my chickens to play with?
Tetherball Toys: Chickens love to peck, and if what they are pecking moves, so much the better. Hang an edible treat from a chain or rope into the coop, and let them peck at the makeshift tetherball, chasing it around as it moves. A head of lettuce or cabbage, several apples, or melon rinds are all great options.
What is a good toy for a chicken?
- Cricket Tubes. Challenge Plastics 50298 Cricket Cage 6", Red.
- Chick-N-Veggie. Ware Manufacturing Chick-N-Veggie Treat Ball.
- Precision Pet Chicken Treat Ball.
- Lixit Chicken Toy.
- Chicken Swing.
- Hanging Loofah and Shredded Paper Toys.
- Chicken Ladder.
- Chicken Playground with Treat Basket.
Do chickens need toys to play?
Chickens require entertainment as well, not just for their happiness, but for their overall health. The most ideal chicken toys are ones that engage their senses and activate their instincts. Foraging toys are particularly popular for chickens, as they encourage play with their beaks and claws.
How do I keep my chickens entertained?
- Outside Roosts, Ladders or Perches.
- Stumps or other Things to Stand On.
- Piles of Leaves, Straw or Hay.
- Hang a Mirror.
- Anything New and Different.
- Set up a Sheltered Dust Bath Area.
- Supervised Free Range.
What do chickens like in the run?
The bottom line is organic matter, leaves, wood chips, grass clippings, kitchen scraps — all go in the run. I keep hearing about all these people cleaning up their chicken coop and run all the time, and I'm wondering if I'm missing something.
What is the best thing to put down in a chicken run?
Ground cover within the coop can be anything from wood chips, straw and grass to bare ground. Organic materials tend to break down quickly and plain sand is a popular choice for its durability. Whatever you choose, make sure the chickens may easily scratch and dig.
Can you give chickens bird toys?
Dogs and cats are known for liking toys, but chickens appreciate them, too! Mirrors are popular toys for chickens, as they enjoy pecking at their own image. Toys that dispense treats when rolled around are another chicken favorite. You can use toys made for small dogs or specifically for chickens.Jul 1, 2020