Ideas on how to keep your chickens amused!

**rana** · 14-06-2009, 03:05 PM

Put a stuffed fox in the run

**Twinkle** · 14-06-2009, 03:20 PM

old branches nailed to blocks of wood at varying heights in the run for perching (mine use them as a tightrope and do some impressive gymnastics)

**seeds** · 14-06-2009, 05:51 PM

Hi Twinkle, i will try that when i get time.
I have added a small dog ball to the chicken run, i have taught one of the birds to peck it to me when i say 'Get the Ball'

**bluemoon** · 14-06-2009, 10:22 PM

Originally posted by seeds View Post

Hi Twinkle, i will try that when i get time.
I have added a small dog ball to the chicken run, i have taught one of the birds to peck it to me when i say 'Get the Ball'

Our rabbit 'plays football' with a large ball which was left in the garden by our sons. This, at least, is what my mother believes; she's even taken photos of him doing it. Sadly the truth is that he's a male rabbit, bereft of female company and what he's actually doing to the ball can't be printed on a family site like this

. We're a little less imaginative when it comes to the chickens, but they do have a couple of logs to climb on and a sand-pit to dust-bathe in.

**jayjay giant** · 14-06-2009, 10:47 PM

Liven them up a bit !

Get one of your friends to come round with a dog, The bigger the better !
That soon causes a panic and mass fluttering of wings and then not a peep out of them for the rest of the day !

Only joking, but this did happen though when a neighbour out walking his dog popped round to look at the vegetable garden ! The dog was 50 ft away by the house and the girls went crazy !

**Flummery** · 15-06-2009, 08:35 AM

In spite of the fact that they have various 'chicken toys' the best fun mine have is perching on the garden chair I put in the run. It's supposed to be for me but when I'm in the back garden working on the veg patch they are up on the arms and back watching me!

**julesapple** · 15-06-2009, 09:17 AM

Originally posted by jayjay giant View Post

Get one of your friends to come round with a dog, The bigger the better !
That soon causes a panic and mass fluttering of wings and then not a peep out of them for the rest of the day !

Only joking, but this did happen though when a neighbour out walking his dog popped round to look at the vegetable garden ! The dog was 50 ft away by the house and the girls went crazy !

A similar effect can be achieved with a kestrel. DD's kestrel, Freya, sits on her perch in the garden for ages without the chooks noticing. Panic ensues when Freya stretches and flaps her wings before settling down again.

We've moved Freya's perch to another spot around the corner from the chooks now.

Jules

**MaureenHall** · 15-06-2009, 09:23 AM

A bale of straw keeps them amused for weeks!

My Bluebelles and Welsummers have some coloured balls to roll around as well as an old lilac tree stump to climb over and peck around at. I've heard that hanging cd's up amuses them too. The best thing is hanging up whole sweetcorn cobs and watch them jump up to get the kernels

**CoraxAurata** · 15-06-2009, 12:34 PM

I hang up half a green cabbage - its gone in no time!

**Pumpkin Becki** · 15-06-2009, 12:47 PM

Feeding layers mash rather than pellets means they spend longer eating their food than looking for mischief.

**seeds** · 15-06-2009, 04:33 PM

Thanks for the ideas guys. I like the straw bale one.
At the minute the chickens are starting to look very bored...............

**lettucegrow!** · 15-06-2009, 04:40 PM

Soduko......?

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Ideas on how to keep your chickens amused!

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