Boredom busters

I talked about the recent feather pulling problem on the “Down The Lane” chicken forum and received some good ideas for ways to stop the girls being bored.

Yesterday was the first sunny day in a long time and I think that seemed to help the girls feel better as this morning was the first morning that I didn’t find any feathers in the run. I haven’t seen any feather pulling today either, however I decided to carry out as many of the boredom busting ideas as I could.

First my husband dug out a dead plant ( a thyme bush) and we put that in the run for the girls, then my husband walked round to the strip of woodland behind our garden to see if he could find a log for them.

I put in an upturned plant pot that they could stand on, it’s not very big but was the only spare one we had.

My husband then put a bit of wire through a cabbage and fixed it above the top rung of the ladder and threw in a few dandelions too.

Pecking at the dead plant

Oddly enough the girls loved the dead plant. They spent ages pecking and scratching at the soil around it. I thought it would also give them something else to hide behind. I wouldn’t have thought of putting in a dead plant but it’s great because they can’t damage it, well done hubby!

Investigating the log

Bluebell is our most inquisitive girl so was first to investigate the log closely followed by Dotty.

Investigating the pot

Bluebell was also first to check out the pot but I haven’t seen any of the girls stand on it yet. I will change this for a bigger pot when I have one.

A wider shot to show all the new things in the run

Pepper and Dotty pecking at the cabbage from the top of the ladder

Bluebell pecking at the cabbage

A short while later the cabbage is almost gone and Dotty is under the ladder picking up any bits that drop.

I went back a little while later and all that was left was the cabbage stalk. Next time I am shopping I will get the girls some corn on the cob to peck at. Thank you “Laners” for all your helpful ideas. The girls looked like they had a fun day.