Bored chickens

[Julia]

Since we had a fox attack two weeks ago I've kept the girls in their run which is a fair size but nowhere near as big as the whole garden they are used to.

We can't build the new mega run until the ground is defrosted and we can get the fenceposts into the ground.

So my girls are bored.

I'm giving them heaps of snacks to ease my guilt at locking them up but have you guys got any ideas on how to keep them amused?

[Steve the Gas]

Cabbage etc - it takes time, as does hiding mealworms about...

Pile of leaves- if you can find any now, bag of sharp sand.

[Julia]

Thanks Steve. I've got a bag of sand so I will put that in the run and I'll hide their meal worms in it.

Good grief, they're worse than children.

[Casnz10]

Mine won't come out at the moment, don't like the White stuff bless them, I've hung up apples cut in half and they have dragged loads of straw from their coop into their run and are scratching about in it so try a pile of straw. The sand in my run has frozen solid. I'm rethinking letting them free range due to the amount of fox tracks in the snow so I've got to do the same until my big run is built, good luck

[exton_posh]

Mine have had 2 cabbages in their run for 2 weeks now...they love them in the summer but they've been frozen solid so just get kicked around!! Nice sidestep and netmeg from Edna today, she's getting quite good at it!

[ma larkin]

Mine are not interested in venturing out of their run either, too cold for them. They are spending most of the time hanging around under the coop Sorry to hear you had as fox attack Julia, that must have been awful

Ma Larkin

[4c lady]

Mine are bored too they have been in their run for over 10 days now and its getting to them. Ive had to put Lou Lou's little coat back on as she was shivering this morning. Ive put more sawdust in their hen house so they have been scratching around in that. Tomorrow they get a change as I will be opening the patio door for them to come into the lounge for 20 mins of mass destruction. Ive brought them a nice corn on the cob for Christmas day and one for boxing day which I might cook in the microwave for a bit first so its nice and warm for them (sadly no butter for them).

[janepick]

As a Xmas prezzie I have hung a block treat for them full of seeds etc
Of course they have ignored it as it is an alien
Maybe day 2 they will get brave and give it a go

[Stef]

We've just put out corn cob, and they are concentrating hard on ignoring it!

Perhaps if it shows some remorse for simply existing they will oblige and eat it??

[Mrs B]

As a Xmas prezzie I have hung a block treat for them full of seeds etc
Of course they have ignored it as it is an alien
Maybe day 2 they will get brave and give it a go

Same here, mine told me where to stick my treat bar ... I think that was a bit rude really.

[Mo]

I was interested that the ground round the arc and food and water is covered with hen foot prints , but the edges of the run are virgin snow (1 week old), apart from small bird prints (I think a robin shares their food and water). So they don't go far in this weather.

[Stef]

the edges of the run are virgin snow (1 week old), apart from small bird prints (I think a robin shares their food and water). So they don't go far in this weather.

We've been noticing that too!

Our Light Sussex gave a robin a severe telling off yesterday as it tried to share the hot midafternoon snack before she had finished.

And we have a blackbird that is showing great interest in anything left for more than a second and a pheasant has made a complete circuit of the fence, probably hoping for the best!

I'm just glad we hang the small bird feeders in the other half of the garden - think of the fights!

[Steve the Gas]

I observed a Robin and Dunnock almost fighting yesterday which is unusual to say the least. But common for mixed flocks of birds to form in prolonged extreme bad weather.

[RachelG]

I didnt think my hens would appreciate a Christmas stocking so gave them a hanging basket instead - which they have spent the time ignoring - and it doesn't matter what I have put in it it is treated with disdain.

[Steve the Gas]

It looks to high up, I would lower it so they can reach the food, but not want to get in the basket.