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Entertaining Chickens

Jen Fulkerson

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posted 4 years ago

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I'm trying to get my chickens to stay in there coop and chicken yard. So far they don't seem to be able to get out. I have thought that before, so we will see. I was thinking if they had stuff to do, they wouldn't be so determined to get out. Once I beef up my fence on the veggie garden, I will let them out in the evening once in a while if I'm going to be outside. I have seen things on Pinterest things for Chickens entertainment, but I was wondering if any of you do anything like that? Is it a ridiculous fad that isn't necessary? right now the coop has a layer of wood chips. It has 3 levels of roosting bars. 8 nesting boxes (which most ignore and lay in the corner under the nesting boxes) Two feeders, two 5 gallon waterers. Once a day they are fed fermented grains. In the chicken yard which is an old horse corral most of it has very deep wood chips. There is a place with not much wood where they have loose dirt that they dust themselves in. I have one of those small kiddy pools I put about 3" of water in. That is it. I use to have a compost pile in there, and they loved that, but they either ate what I put in it or spread it around. I never actually got any compost I could use. So I put it else where. I have thought about building them a jungle gym type thing that they can climb on or scratch in the shade it makes. If I put it in the middle, it wouldn't help them get out. I don't have the property to do a chicken tractor, so they are stuck where they are.
I'm interested in what you all have to say. Chicken entertainment, does it enhance there lives, or is it a silly fad?

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Juniper Zen

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posted 4 years ago

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When kept in an enclosure, chickens are the same as any other animal in a cage or zoo. They crave the ability to express their natural instincts, which often includes traversing a much larger area than we can safely provide them. Enrichment is a great way to allow other expressions of natural behavior, and if they are mentally and physically satisfied, it absolutely should lessen their desire to escape. Individual personality will affect that too, though.

I like the idea of the jungle gym, but novelty is also a key part of enrichment. Think about ways that you can move things around or change things up. For example, moving that little pool sometimes so that they get to dig and scratch in a fresh area.

Food toys and novel food items are popular forms of enrichment because they’re easy to dispense and keep “fresh” to the animal. Try picking up discount produce, like pumpkins after Halloween, or bruised apples at a farmer’s market. Catch some crickets or other insects and release them in the coop. Hang some food just out of the chickens’ reach, so they have to hop up to get it. Look up info on “contra freeloading” for a cool perspective on providing enrichment for confined animals in zoos, labs, houses, etc.

For species with a highly developed sense of smell, especially predators, introducing new scents is another form of enrichment. However I have no idea how much chickens use their sense of smell or if new smells would alarm them.

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Jen Fulkerson

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I took a couple of pictures of the yard area this evening. Easier to see what I tried to describe.

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Matt McSpadden

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posted 4 years ago

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As has been mentioned, chickens like to be chickens. That means lots of scratching. I first got the idea from a swedish farmer youtuber (I forget the name now). During the winter his chickens were in a greenhouse. He would scatter their food and some grain on the ground (which was covered with woodchips). This made them take longer to eat initially and gave little surprises for them to find when they were scratching throughout the day. If you put their feed in a nice little feeder, they can go over, eat their fill quickly, and then be bored. Maybe try scattering the food to keep them busy for longer?

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Stacie Kim

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posted 4 years ago

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However I have no idea how much chickens use their sense of smell or if new smells would alarm them.

I was about to reply that chickens don't have a sense of smell, as most birds don't. But then I thought, "I'd better find out for sure before I say something." Turns out, chickens actually DO have a fairly developed sense of smell!

Learn somethin' new every day...

As for entertaining chickens, I agree that giving them "chicken" things to do is best. New foods, new scratching areas, re-arranging their stuff, etc. Just as we sometimes brighten up our home decor or re-arrange furniture, chickens like new things too.

Thanks, Y'all!

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Anne Miller

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Jen said "I was thinking if they had stuff to do, they wouldn't be so determined to get out.

Keeping them happy and entertain might help though I feel chickens are just going to be chickens and do what chickens do.

Matt said "He would scatter their food and some grain on the ground

This! This is what is going to keep them the happiest and entertained.

Their life is surrounded by scratching the ground looking for bugs and stuff to eat.

Throughout the day give the chickens all your table scraps, grass clipping, leaves. Pick bugs off your plants into a pail of water to be given to the chickens when you think they are getting bored.

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Jay Angler

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Anne Miller wrote: Pick bugs off your plants into a pail of water to be given to the chickens when you think they are getting bored.

This!!! More than anything, I think chickens are insectivores. Yes, they love it when I bring them fresh greens and they like hunting for grain, but if you've got a situation that would allow you to grow insects like Black Soldier Fly larvae or similar, your chickens will notice! I suspect the "chicken compost systems" are mostly "bug attracting and growing" systems if you look deeply at what's happening. I've been amazed to see 2 day-old meat chicks jumping to try to catch a flying bug in our brooder, so I think catching bugs is a strong motivator.

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Sprouty Mcplant

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posted 4 years ago

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I'd say that the first recourse would be to exted their walking space. This can effectively b done with a jungle gym.

In addition to grain, vegetables (and even vegetable scraps) work great to make chicken happy, tought they end up everywhere in the enclosure, even if you arrange them neatly in a corner). At least, the ckicken are happy ^^

Jen Fulkerson

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posted 3 years ago

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Since I posted this I have managed to make the fence high enough to keep the chickens in. Now they only get out of I let them out.
I made a jungle gym. At first they were leery of it, but when they discovered treats they become interested. I still have a little platform to go at the end of the bridge. It's built I just have to build the steps for it.
I painted the flowers because I read chickens can see color, and there coop and yard is all brown. I did see one of my hens checking out the hollyhocks, and tried pecking them. I'm happy with it, and hope they enjoy it. It gives them a little shade, a couple of treat activities. A swing and a bridge (I saw other chickens use these, we will see if mine like it) and three offset roosting bars.

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Juniper Zen

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posted 3 years ago

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Jen, that looks great! I was already planning on building various shade structures for my girls, and now I'm inspired to make them more like your jungle gym!

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Megan Palmer

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posted 3 years ago

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chickens definitely see colours - they peck my toe nails if they're painted red!

Your girls are very fortunate to live in such a lovely yard!

Jen Fulkerson

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posted 3 years ago

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Thanks
They have already learned to use the treat bottle/ball. They use the perches, but are hesitant to go from one to the other. My first thought was to change them, but then I thought the whole point is to interest and challenge them, so I will leave them alone.
These are the pallets my work felt were not good enough to sell, so I got them free. Everything else I already had. It didn't cost me anything but time, and I enjoyed building it.

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Jen Fulkerson

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posted 3 years ago

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Ok I have learned chickens are like children. I have to wait to fill the treat toys until I get home from work. As soon as there are treats everything else is ignored. They gobble it up until it's gone. Plan B mix layer crumbles and pellets with some mealworms, and maybe some of the grains I use to ferment for them (oats, wheat, and barley) use that in the treat toys. Saves me from buying treat mix, and probably healthier for the hens, but still gives them something to do.

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Megan Palmer

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posted 2 years ago

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Our chickens are plotting how to run away to live with Jen's girls.

They would like to have a run like hers but will just have to make do their over grown brassicas and chicken ladder that we tie treats to for entertainment.

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Kaarina Kreus

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posted 2 years ago

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If you can, toss them an entire fish. Make a wound to the side. They will spend an hour picking the fish apart.

If you don't do it too often, the taste willnot be felt in their eggs.

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Donna Lynn

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posted 2 years ago

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You can also hang larger produce items like mangel beets for them to peck at. The swinging will make it more challenging for them. My girls love beets. I'm building a bigger run and will incorporate a few activities to keep them engaged in weather they don't want to be outside free ranging in. I'll incorporate a compost pile too and see how that goes.

We just had several hundred dollars worth of squirrel damage to our vehicle so we're trying to trap squirrels. Maybe we'll give those to the chickens since we're not using any poison, and I know chickens will eat mice if they get the chance.

Jen Fulkerson

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Donna I'm so sorry. I know with my girls a lot of times they look at me like I'm crazy when I give them something new. I brought them a slug the other day, and I had to keep offering it to them. Finally one of them gave it a try. The next time I bought a slug it was like a feeding frenzy, they all wanted it. So maybe once they realize the squirrel is food, they will love it.

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Donna Lynn

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Thanks Jen. That's interesting about the slugs... I read somewhere that although ducks LOVE slugs, chickens don't care for them much. Guess they're all different just like us! Mine love blueberries but not raspberries or strawberries, while other people talk about how their girls love raspberries or strawberries.

If mine don't take to squirrels we catch, perhaps I'll follow the "whole fish" advice above and make a wound through the hide so the chickens can see or smell the blood. Normally I would never consider doing this... I'm a live and let live person. But these small squirrels have just become too destructive. Despite tons (almost literally) of black walnuts to eat, they destroy plantings I've nurtured, and get into vehicles and chew up wires. The guy who repaired our van pulled 12 gallons of walnuts and hulls out of various places in the engine compartment and undercarriage, LOL! The poor van doesn't get driven daily so they had lots of time to nest in there unfortunately for us. Our neighbor had lesser problems in the car she drives almost daily, but still paid a few hundred bucks to fix it. The only thing I can say positive about the squirrels is that the hawk who used to live in a large walnut tree is no longer in residence, the squirrels are so numerous and aggressive. So my chickens don't have that predator to be concerned about anymore.

Jay Angler

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posted 2 years ago

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Yes, chickens can definitely be "taught" to eat things. Mother hens do a lot of that teaching if you watch them with chicks. But it usually takes several days of exposure before the chickens I know will trust new foods.
With a squirrel, I would slash the hide - their skin is pretty tough. With experience, that might not be necessary.

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Jen Fulkerson

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I don't know if this will help, and off topic, but thanks to Dr. Redhalk I have been using ammonia to keep the squirrel, and other critters out of my garden. It works well. Just spray around what you want to protect. I have also used cayenne pepper in my garden. One year they kept steeling my corn seed. I generously sprinkled cayenne on the soil. Like magic the corn sprouted. Hope this helps.

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Donna Lynn

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Jen did you mean "cayenne" pepper? Or is there another kind called cyan? I've used a spray made with peppermint oil but that hasn't been effective. I can't get my dogs to pee on the van tires on command, so no help from that quarter! Maybe I'll add some cayenne pepper powder to my peppermint spray and see if that helps keep the critters out of the van engine compartment.

Jay your exposure theory plays out in my brooders this year. I've introduced dried larvae and fresh kale and other green leaves to my chicks and poults, and it has taken them a few days of playing with things before they recognize it as food. Then, look out! Oddly, the turkey babies grab wood chips and run around with them to play keep away, then swallow them whole! First time I saw that I thought, oh no, that one is going to die of an impacted crop! But they are all doing well despite gagging down wood chips multiple times a week. The chicks (chicken chicks that is!) will carry a chip around to play, but then drop it instead of eating it. I have the turkeys in a brooder with chicks so the chicks would teach the (not too bright) turkey poults to eat and drink.

Jen Fulkerson

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Yes Donna that's what I meant. I've never been able to spell, then add answering a post on my 10 minute break and I'm doomed.
I've read a lot about animals not liking mint. I have seen it in my own animals. I'm not an expert so take this for what it's worth. My observation is most animals don't like mint, but it doesn't seem to be a good deterrent. It just seems like they don't like the smell, but will tolerate it to get to what they want.
Personally I would try the ammonia. I think it gives a more instinctive response to stay away. Like urine marking territory. Easier to put in a spray bottle and spray tires. Maybe the perimeter of where you park.
The cayenne pepper effects them like it does us. It's painful for them when they get it in there eyes, mouth and nose. I have only done it once. It doesn't kill them, and they seem to learn pretty quick.
To anyone reading this post after today. I fixed a spelling error in my previous post.
Good luck.

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Jen Fulkerson

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I was doing some cleaning and repair on my chicken coop today. The chickens were being so mean to each other. Not causing wounds, but just lots of squabbles. I know there's a pecking order, but I hate when they are mean to each other. I dug a few holes in there yard, and they were happy as can be. They were too busy to fight.

I had a great time making the chicken gym. Besides the treat bottle, and providing some extra shade it didn't entertain them. I have decided to give it to the dogs. I think they are enjoy it more. I will remove all the accessories, and let the dogs use it for shade and to chase each other through.

I have been planting by there back fence I put some chicken wire around the plants. My hope is the plants will grow to the point they go through the fence, then the chickens can help themselves without killing the plants. I also planted a few things they don't like like calendula, lavender and rosemary. My picky girls won't eat any of them. I planted wandering Jew are sweet potato, they are the vines that I hope will provide forage for them. I also planted purple tree collards. I got it to close to the fence and now it's a little bare stick. They just couldn't wait I guess. No biggie I propagated it and have others.

I'm thinking about making a small cage out of chicken wire and wood. It would have 3 sides and a covered top. My thought is I would make it only slightly taller than the chicken. I could but it against the outer fence and cut a temporary opening. This would give them a new space to explore. Once they get bored with it, I could fix the fence and put the portable in a new spot. I can't do a chicken tractor, but this is kind of a strange version.

My daughter also had an idea to make a couple of little tunnels for them to go in and out of. I think it's a good idea.
Seems my chicken yead is always evolving.

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Matt McSpadden

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posted 2 years ago

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Hi Jen,
I think that is some good stuff. Giving the chickens more things to do, so they are too busy to squabble. Sometimes I wish we could do that with people :), haha

Jay Angler

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I think chickens, like humans, like "new things". This is why I'd really like a multiple paddock system with enough paddocks that by the time the girls get back to paddock 1, enough new plants will have grown to make it seem "new". Unfortunately, that takes a *lot* of fencing, and our fencing has to be very secure due to all the types of predators we have. With my ducks, I can have one perimeter fence and just use dog exercise pen fencing to divide off parts. That said, it's amazing how far through that fencing a duck can get its head/neck if there's something tasty it wants! Chickens are quite capable of just hopping over the X-pen fencing!

However, I did have a group of ducks and chickens at one point who had secure night-time housing, and would run to their daytime portable shelter which was about 9' by 7 1/2 feet. Unfortunately, when those girls got old and sick, I had to move some other girls into the night-time area and the group is really too large for the portable shelter at the moment plus I needed it for some young Khaki ducks.

If you do try to build something portable to get your girls to new ground some days, I would recommend you try to make it as light as possible. I've met way too many "portable" shelters that never moved because it was just too hard to do, particularly if it was a smaller adult such as myself that was doing the moving. My "mini-hoops" which I use for moms with babies are nice and light, but not very permie as I used PVC pipe (2" base slides *really* well, 1/2" hoops are reasonably strong for the top, it's covered with coroplast and tarp material except for one wall with the pop-door and hardware cloth for seeing the world). I wish I had the tools and knowledge to bend bamboo as it would make great portable shelters! It might not last too many seasons, but my bamboo grows fast enough that I would just have to install replacement bits!

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Jen Fulkerson

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posted 2 years ago

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Thanks Matt. It would be awesome if it worked for people haha.

Thanks for the advice Jay. I was thinking the frame made out of firing strips because I have some and they are cheap, and pallet wood because I have a lot of that, and can get more from work. I will cover it with chicken wire. We used to have a lot more predators than we do now. So that will work. It may sound strange, and don't get me wrong, it's nice to not have to worry as much about the chickens. I miss them. We used to see fox playing in the orchard next to ours. Wild turkey, hawk. Ok I don't miss the racoons, the only time I would see them is if they were killing my hens. I don't know if it's the drought, or the city creeping closer. Probably both.
I used to let my chickens out during the day. I would loose one now and then, but figured a quality life is better than a very long one. One year every chicken disappeared. They went out in the morning and never came back. No evidence of what happened. Several years later a pack of stray dogs killed the whole flock. At this point I don't let them out any more . I like to let them out when I'm home and hanging out in the yard. This time of year I have lots of veggies and flowers not fenced , and the chickens are very destructive. So they can't come out. Once in a while I will let them out 20 minutes before dark, they don't have enough time to be destructive.

Jay could you use your bamboo in a triangle shape? Or lash 3 pieces in a square or rectangle? You could make a square and use a pool noodle to cover the ends so it doesn't poke through your material. I don't know, but it seems there's a solution. Good luck, and thanks.

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