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IMAGE Sebastian Arning Getty Images Opposite NikonShutterman/Getty Images There is nothing funnier than watching your chickens playing in the garden, fighting over bugs and harassing the cat. It therefore seems only fair that we should provide them with some fun and variety, too, especially in the winter months when bugs are scarce and garden activities can be a bit ho-hum. Preventing chickens from becoming disinterested is important for their health and wellbeing because a bored chicken can start pecking at itself, other chickens, or eggs. Worse still, a lack of stimulation can lead to serious bullying behaviour within your flock. But before you think installing a television in your chook house will do the trick, try to think more in line with the natural behaviours your chickens have in the pursuit of food: pecking, foraging, digging. Oh, and a bit of perching in a quiet moment. But mostly it’s all about food. All you need to do is rev up your imagination, pick out your chickens’ favourite foods, and, most importantly, have fun. Punchy Piñatas I’m not suggesting you hang a bag of lollies for your chooks and pass them a club to break it open. Try instead to extend this idea to chicken-friendly food and let your chicken have a good peck with their beaks. Making your chickens work a bit for their food helps to engage their natural foraging instincts and a swinging tetherball of food cannot fail to entertain them. The simplest chicken piñata can be made with some strong string and a head of lettuce or cabbage. A more complex version could involve a pine cone smeared in peanut butter and rolled in seeds. Other alternative foods to hang include French bread, cucumber, millet sprays, corn cobs, or even a barbecue grill basket filled with greens. How about a bit of baking? Whip up a basic cookie batter (without the sugar) and add peanut butter, seeds and grains, then bake cookies with holes in the middle to make them easy to tie up. Alternatively, you can utilise your used cooking grease in a 1:1 ratio with seeds and peanut butter, chuck it in a used milk or juice carton and chill it to create some yummy suet. If you don’t have a suet cage, a sturdy mesh bag will do instead. Limit this to the winter as suet can quickly go rancid in the summer heat. Perches with panache Don’t underestimate the interest generated by a new perch. Chickens naturally like to perch up higher, even in trees if they can. The provision of a new and interesting perch is sure to please. A simple stump, sturdy branch or a swing will provide your birds with some extra exercise and a happy place to observe the world from. Don’t underrate the joy of a good log either. This can be shifted now and then to expose bugs underneath. If the log has nooks and crannies, consider filling them with goodies such as banana, chunky peanut butter, cooked rice and oatmeal. Your chickens will love digging for treats. Toy time Chickens love toys as much as the next kid. Many a soft, lightweight ball has been seen bouncing around a chook house in a harmless game of Fowl Football. Inquisitive chickens might also enjoy a windup or walking toy. Solitary chickens can find Above The right sort of perch will encourage your chickens to seek a new view of the world. gardener.kiwi kiwigardener 79
80 kiwigardener gardener.kiwi IMAGE Clockwise from top left Warren_Price/Getty Images, Andrius Aleksandravicius/Getty Images, Lorianne Ende /Getty Images, tatyana_tomsickova/Getty Images vandervelden/Getty Images, Catherine Delahaye/Getty Images
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growing with you Three Time Winner
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Alocasia Amazonica Life is easy whe
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LOVE YOUR Winter garden WHANGAREI:
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Elite Series Greenhouses Traditiona
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Something for everyone JUNE 2020 RE
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Adding a bit of life to the garden
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Page 50 and 51: HARDWOOD CUTTINGS Hardwood cuttings
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Page 56 and 57: In-ground or potted? If you don’t
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