[chickenlicken]

Hi there, can anyone suggest some 'toys' to put into the run to prevent boredom??
We have a hanging CD which gets little attention and a large log and rock which they love to hop on and off and we often hang brocolli which gets devoured in a few minutes but what else do people do?

Also, roughly how much do we clip off the wing, we are trying to pen off the bottom part of the garden but our first attempt (3ft fence) failed as all chickens flew straight over it with a couple of minutes and one managed to get herself 8ft up on the climbing frame!!  BTW, this was after we had supposedly clipped their wings!!

Thank you!!

[Laverne88]

chickens go bananas over things that are bright red...... I discovered this whilst entering the chicken run to retrieve one of my kids plastic toys with bare feet and red nail varnish and suffered the consequences instantly!....... so, once I'd gotton over the trauma , I used to hang up those red latex squeaky doggy balls to stop them getting bored. I also hang up a bunch of nettles every so often and, like yourself, green veg. I've found that if you hang it high enough so they have to jump a little it all adds to the chicken-ey fun. ( :blink:).

I always just clip on one wing and right back to the wing, leaving the first two or flight feathers. I find this doesn't make them look 'mauled' and actually helps to unbalance them if they try and take off............ nb. doesn't work for old english pheasant foul as they all belong to the R.A.F and have a plan B!

[richyrich7]

Here you go
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=33498.msg401437#msg401437

only clip one wing else they still fly and don't clip too far back into the feathers else you hit blood, just like cutting a rabbit or dogs claws.

[Roll Roll]

Sprout football, thats what we call it. Throw a sprout in and watch them play with it. It's a fantastic game that gives us as much pleasure watching them as it does them playing/eating it.

[Roll Roll]

Oh yes, a small plastic plant pot provides hours of fun :blink: It rolls around when knocked and makes a nice hat for going out in :blink:

[andreadon]

i think the only way you can be sure is to put a roof on your run - maybe with the one at the end of the garden you could put a bit of wire facing inwards (about a foot)
that should make them believe they can't get over it.

ours also have an old tyre and several different layers.
(3 shelves of varying heights, a windowsill, 2 ladders and a small table and a big table)
also helps provide shelter in the rain.

and things to stand on - like old cement ballustrades.