[FCG]

Entertaining your hens - how do you do it? Mine seem a little forlorn after being put in their run. It's barren earth now with some logs, rocks & golf balls. Anything i can put in to help? Other than hanging cabbages up.

[mrs bouquet]

Could you run som music in and ask some other chicks round for a party!
Mrs  Bouquet.  Sorry to be silly, to your sensible question, but the thought of it made me laugh,  they could do the Turkey Trot perhaps.

[chooknewbie]

from what i have read logs are good, and hanging CDs too.... i have just put in a dust bath (currently resembles a mud bath) ....other than that  not too sure...will be watching closely for replies from the more seasoned chicken lover.

[Roughlee Handled]

freecyclegardener can you move the run to somewhere where there is grass?

[Vember]

This is gonna sound real silly but are the logs just plain normal stick type things???

What I mean is are there any knooks an cranys (spellin?) that you could stuff tit bits in? I have a log specially for putting treats in mealworms bits of apple etc.. or as a real treat throw a couple of whole corn on the cobs in that'll keep em occupied for a while

[SnooziSuzi]

Could you run som music in and ask some other chicks round for a party!
Mrs  Bouquet.  Sorry to be silly, to your sensible question, but the thought of it made me laugh,  they could do the Turkey Trot perhaps.

or the funky chicken!  

Is there any scope to increase the size of their run and section an area off to allow the weeds/grass to recover?  this keeps mine busy all day as they forage.

try digging up an area of their run so that they can get at any creepy crawlies under the soil too - extra protien and they have a whale of a time!

[FCG]

Well i could fence off a strip to allow grass to recover, but when i say it is a run of earth... it really is earth. There isn't scope to move the run as it is fixed. They do a good enough job of digging already! I don't want to help them tunnel out, plus they already have a large dust bath. I'll try the CD thing, sounds good. Is it worth putting down grass seed this year? Or is there a plant that'll grow quicker than grass that i could pop in? I previously have grown spinach in plugs and then put the plugs in... but they didn't last any longer than the cut spinach i put in. I need a virulent plant that the chickens will scoff that grows quickly!

Also should i put bark chip down? This'll give them more to scratch in and possibly get a bug infestation going for them to eat.

[agapanthus]

How about putting up some perches?........I had'nt even finished mine before they wanted to sit on them and preen!!

[FCG]

Oooh i really like that idea Aggie, i'll put one up right now. Only problem is putting them up and then they use them to hop the fence! How high do you think i should put it, plus how thick should the baton they hold onto be? I'm also worried my hens are beginning to dislike me... to get out of their run they have to be picked up.. they don't seem to like the arrangement. Should i be bribing them with more mealworms?

[agapanthus]

Oooh i really like that idea Aggie, i'll put one up right now. Only problem is putting them up and then they use them to hop the fence! How high do you think i should put it, plus how thick should the baton they hold onto be? I'm also worried my hens are beginning to dislike me... to get out of their run they have to be picked up.. they don't seem to like the arrangement. Should i be bribing them with more mealworms?

Our are about 2' of the ground....and in the middle of the run!! The wood was 2"x2" with the edges planed off.
I use a broom to herd them along!