I recently noticed that another of the plants I put in the chicken run last year has died. I think with all my efforts to keep the run dry that maybe it didn’t get enough water. I decided to dig it up and give it to the girls. Even a dead plant can provide some entertainment.
Another dead plant to play with
As is often the case Toffee is the only girl not joining in
Toffee and Honey are more interested in where the plant came from
Toffee eventually joins the rest of the girls
Within half an hour the roots had been picked clean and the soil scratched and spread. The girls do enjoy anything put in the run to scratch and peck at.
They also enjoyed some dandelions from the garden. I am thinking of putting a little dandelion patch in the strip of garden next to their run just for them. You can see their strip of garden edged with bricks in this photo. Last year it had chard for them but I wonder if dandelions would be more productive (of course the trick is not to let them flower and seed). Oh how chickens change the way we garden!
Click here to see the history of my flock.
They all thoroughly enjoyed this – it takes so little to give them such pleasure and, as you rightly say, they are the best spreaders of soil.
They are indeed so easily pleased and how quickly they spread any the soil, a joy to watch.