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clockwise from top left Make your chickens work for their
food with a seed-coated pine cone; Logs can be moved to
reveal tasty bugs; Introduce your chickens to other pets –
though avoid aggressive ones!; A human relationship that
starts young will make chickens cuddlier later; Exciting
perches come in many different forms; Time spent with
your chicken is beneficial to both parties.
comfort in a child-safe mirror. Small children’s
playground pieces can provide stimulation,
especially with a few treats dotted around them.
And don’t forget the plethora of toys available
for parrots that could provide fun in the hen
house too.
Liven it up
Sometimes all it takes to change things is simply
something a bit different. A new pine branch,
leaves, compost or a pile of straw can provide
hours of entertainment. If you are doing a bit of
weeding, throw any safe weeds into the chicken
run. They’ll pick them over for bugs you had no
idea were there. The same goes for pulling out old
plants; let them pick over the dirt and roots.
If there is bedding or straw about, create a game
of hide and seek by sprinkling it with sprouts,
grains, berries, and other small treats so that they
have to scratch around a bit for food.
If you have a suitable flat area like a patio, get
your girls chasing after rolling peas or grapes. Stale
buns will roll too, providing a fun game of fetch –
just don’t expect them to bring anything back!
Even a cut-open watermelon gives variety and
fun, especially since it rocks while they pick out
the flesh. Or watch your girls go to town on a fresh
fish carcass or the remnant meat off last night’s
roast bone.
Another simple idea is to provide their scratch
feed (pellets, corn, wheat) in a treat shaker. Put
holes in a plastic bottle, fill with feed, and replace
the lid. Once they figure out that rolling the bottle
releases food then they will never look back.
Spending time
Don’t forget that a wonderful way of entertaining
your chickens and yourself is to hang out with
them. Chickens handled when young will be more
comfortable with being touched or cuddled, but
even the shiest chicken can follow you around
the garden.
Other pets and animals can also provide
company and interest, although perhaps not the
neighbour’s boisterous dog.
Whatever way you choose to spice up your
chicken’s day, just think how much happier
and healthier they will be. Just like us,
variety and fun can make life worthwhile and
enjoyable. Oh, and peanut butter, too. Let’s
face it, peanut butter makes the world go
around, whether you are a child or a chicken.
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