Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: OpiumEater on June 12, 2011, 16:47

Title: Chicken Toys
Post by: OpiumEater on June 12, 2011, 16:47
Due to the girls not being able to free-range as much as they were till fox fencing sorted, I'm looking for ideas for toys for them. I've got a dust bath, branches for them to perch on, hang greens for them to jump for and they scratch for corn. Can you think of anything else that I can do for them?

Thanks

Christine
Title: Re: Chicken Toys
Post by: Welsh_Mon on June 12, 2011, 20:45
I usually put orange peel scattered all around or string up a cabbage, bagel or old toast or grapes for them  ::) or even cut a squash open and string that one on to something. Sometimes I even string Cheerios up for them...I know sounds carzy but hey love it  ::)

I also got a mirror in my pen which is quite amusing to see when they oogle themselves in it  :D

On a sunny day I hang CD's out as they will chase the reflections  :D

....mine usually free range but when I go out I put them into their coop with pen a that way I can be sure to come back home and see them all safe  :D
Title: Re: Chicken Toys
Post by: VickyW on June 12, 2011, 20:54
Those are some great ideas Welsh Mon, what age can chicks have squash or cabbage?
Title: Re: Chicken Toys
Post by: Welsh_Mon on June 12, 2011, 22:14
Those are some great ideas Welsh Mon, what age can chicks have squash or cabbage?

I started mine when they were only 8 weeks old but others maybe say the opposite though, as mentioned mine are not being kept as pets or show birds but instead being kept as utility bird only, Mon
Title: Re: Chicken Toys
Post by: OpiumEater on June 13, 2011, 20:36
Brilliant, thank you, will try a few of these out.

Mollycoddled I know, but they love it  :D
Title: Re: Chicken Toys
Post by: 3Bluebelles on June 13, 2011, 21:18
You can also get quite a range of pecking blocks/balls etc, made of seeds, grit etc. We order ours on-line (quite of lot of poultry equipment type websites sell them), and they last for ages.
Title: Re: Chicken Toys
Post by: OpiumEater on June 14, 2011, 13:44
I saw these and was a little concerned they'd finish it off in an afternoon  :wub: making it very expensive, but as they last a long time, will definitely give them a go.

thanks x