A talk with my neighbor made me question my whole coop setup

I was chatting with my neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, over the fence yesterday. She's had chickens for about 20 years, way longer than my three. I was complaining about how my four hens just stand around in their run, not really doing much. She looked at it and said, 'Chickens are foragers, not statues. That's just a dirt box to them.' She pointed out that my run is just flat, packed dirt with nothing in it. She said to throw in some leaves, a few old logs for them to hop on, and maybe a pile of straw to scratch through. I spent maybe 30 minutes yesterday tossing in some yard waste and an old cinder block. This morning, they were all over it, digging and pecking. It was like a different flock. I feel a bit silly for not seeing it sooner. What are some other cheap or free things you all add to your runs to keep the birds busy?

2 comments

2 Comments

blair_williams6915d ago

Mrs. Jenkins is a smart lady, I had the same lightbulb moment a few years back. My birds went nuts for a hanging head of cabbage, just tie it up with some twine. Old broom handles or garden stakes laid across cinder blocks make a great cheap perch course. Honestly, half my run is just stuff I was going to take to the dump, like a busted laundry basket they love to hide under.

clairebaker15d ago

My old pallet garden collapsed last year and the chickens claimed it. They hop between the slats and scratch in the dirt underneath for hours.