[AmandaH]

Hi everyone.

Is there anything I can get for the garden that will make it more interesting for my girls?

They free range all afternoon but my garden is basically a rectangle of what used to be the lawn surrounded by fairly empty flowerbeds (just a few shrubs, some of which are quite large) and no trees.

Obviously, the girls scratch around in the flowerbeds all day, which I'm not bothered about (I'm not a gardener so couldn't care less if they dig about) but is there anything I can give them to "play" with and make it more interesting?

I don't know if chooks get bored, but I do worry about them...  

[beulah59]

I have a tipped up dustbin they can 'hide' in ... a few logs ... but they seem to prefer the stony area by the dustbins 

[Flowerpower136]

Maybe somewhere to perch, some steps to climb, a pipe to walk through........don't know if its all necessary really, because they seem most interested in food rather than anything to play with........a food washing line?

Ours have taken over the garden compost bays, which are in their run, they are having a great time sorting through the years clippings etc.  But again, its motivated by food.

I've found myself taking things out of the run in order to give them even more scratching space.  And because they are now zooming down the height of the compost bins (about 1 mtr ish), they're needing a good length runway for landing   Frightening me to death at the moment, keep thinking we're going to end up with a broken leg.  But they do seem to enjoy it, jump, flap like mad, and then go back for more.  Like a scary fairground ride.

What about car tyres full of sand for dustbath.  I'm thinking of getting one, am on the look out for a type with a wide internal diameter.  Also I've got a mirror I don't need, so was thinking of trying them out with that   Though might start the pecking order nonsense again

[themagicaltoad1]

I caught one of mine kicking a tennis ball around yesterday, we were in hysterics watching her

[Flowerpower136]

She's just dropping hints about strawberries and cream...........it all about the food.

[Chookster]

some of my hens live in a dig for victory garden i've created at the museum i work at - they're fenced off from the veg most of the time especially if there's seedlings but sometimes i let them come into the garden when i dig and they love it! one hen in particular will try and stand on my fork when i'm digging to push in front of the others for the first sight of any worm. they also wander around the garden grazing on slugs and caterpillars so i allow them the odd peck at my lettuce and cabbages bless em!

i also have 3 compost bins made from pallets and sometimes i put the girls to work on the top of the compost so they turn it over for me.

best of all though i love "Chicken Rugby"!  for a treat i take round a crust of bread or an apple core and throw it for them and "the game begins!!" It's very funny, they all end up with some but one of them in particular(my light sussex) will always grab the prize and it's very funny as they chase each other and the way the winning bird runs and looks left and right through the back of their heads literally!!! 

[AmandaH]

Brilliant, thank you all for your replies.  Now I have some ideas for some toys for the garden.  Still waiting to see them sliding down my daughter's slide though!  

Like the idea of Chicken Rugby Chookster!  Although I am not entirely sure that I am clear on the rules...  Sadly, I don't have a compost heap as that is Advanced Gardening, which I am not trained for  

And Flowerpower - I think you are right, it does seem to be mostly about food but perhaps I can make their treats harder to find - hide them in something perhaps...

Anyway, thanks for your ideas - I shall go away and see if I can come up with some sort of Chicken It's A Knockout.  Ooops, showing my age...