During the first week in November I was not very popular with the girls. They fell out with me and made their indignation quite apparent with their point blank refusal to go back into the run after they’d been in the garden. For seven days I’d given them their worming food which is something I do every three months. I’ve mentioned this before in one of my other blog posts but all I do is swap their normal layers pellets for medicated pellets that contain Flubenvet. To make sure they each eat enough of this and don’t fill up on other things, treats have been restricted to some corn at the end of the day. This hasn’t gone down well and I’ve started to get the feeling that the hens don’t love me at all, they only love the treats I bring!
Even if it is only cupboard love, I still like giving the girls food treats especially if it’s something they haven’t tried before. It’s great to see how they react whilst they’re working out whether the strange looking cauliflower or cabbage is friend or foe! They also have favourite foods like grapes and tomatoes and these always elicit a cacophony of excited little clucks as they devour them.
As well as the food treats, I’ve also tried to make to the run interesting for the girls with things for them to peck at and places for them to climb and explore. I think it’s really important for them to have things in the run that can keep them interested and active when they can’t be out in the garden. Boredom and stress in a flock of hens can lead to feather pecking and bullying so enrichment and mental stimulation is something I try to provide for them.
At one end of the run there are platforms at different levels with branches that link them or are just a small jump away. There’s a branch that rests on a log on the floor of the run and the girls walk up this to the first platform. The highest branches are about head height to me and the hens love perching up there during the day. The branches came from some trees in the garden that we pruned and are the perfect size for little hen feet to grip. The logs were given to me and are stood upright or lay on their sides to create extra places to climb or perch on. I’ve hung wooden bird toys near these branches so the girls have something to peck at when they’re up there.
There’s also a small metal ‘mirror’ hung up and each time one of the girls pecks at it, there’s always a look of surprise on their face as they see their reflection move.
The higher platform on the picture to the right is great for any of the girls who want to be up and out of the way. The new girls spent a lot of time up there when they first arrived and I added an extra tray of food for them to make sure they could eat in peace whilst they were having a break from the other girls. From this platform, there’s a narrow piece of wood with the green sign (pictured below) at the end of it. I always put a bit of corn in this cup but so far, it’s only Camilla that has worked this out. When I put the hens back into the run, Camilla runs up the branches to the platform and along the wood to this sign to check whether there’s any corn in the pot. If it’s empty, she’s not shy about letting me know!
As well as the fresh food treats, I’ve also got Battles Hen Pecker Original and some Hentastic Chick Sticks in the run. The Hen Pecker Original is a solid block of grit, wheat and maize; the girls love it and it seems to last them quite a long time. The Cinammon and Spice Hentastic Chick Sticks are designed to be used with the Hentastic Feeder which can be hung up. My girls haven’t decided if they like these yet and have avoided the feeder but with time, they might realise it’s not the enemy!
One of my favourite chicken toys is the Chicken Fun Ball – it does what it says on the tin! It’s a round yellow ball that can be opened up and filled with treats – I usually fill it with corn. There are holes at each side of the ball so when the hens roll it, the treats fall out. It’s great fun watching the girls have a spirited game of football with this and Camilla has shown some great beak work and ball control!
I’ve bought most of these bits from Pets at Home as my local store has a selection of chicken things but I’m sure you could get them online too.
Last year I re-purposed some old food cans and hung them around the run with Marigolds in (the flowers not the gloves!). It was lovely having some pretty things in there but it also gave the hens something else to nibble at. Next year I’m thinking about adding more platforms and branches to make the most of the height of the chicken run and to give the girls somewhere else to play and explore. I think I might have a go at making them a swing out of rope and some branches from the garden. It seems that chicken swings are quite popular and I have a feeling that Camilla might enjoy herself on one but I’ll let you know how that goes!
I’d love to hear how you entertain your girls and any other ‘boredom buster’ ideas you have so why not get in touch? You can find me on Twitter @tattyhentales and on Facebook – My Chickens – Tatty Hen Tales (see the side menu for the links).
Happy hen keeping!
Sam x
Some good ideas here. I love the hen football!