Chickens need regular stimulation to occupy their minds and keep them out of trouble! If you don’t provide enough excitement for your flock, they’ll start searching for it themselves. From terrorizing the neighbor’s dog to attempting to cross the street, it’s much safer to have a list of ways to gain your flocks’ attention right at home instead. As head chicken keeper, you’re going to want to be in charge of how your chickens stay entertained. Here are some actions you can take to keep your flock busy each day!
1. Live Insects
First, what easier way to keep your chickens occupied than making them catch their own grub? Though your chickens may find a few insects here and there, they probably don’t get to chase bugs as often as they’d like. Live insects offer cheap and easy ways to stimulate the minds of your feathered friends. The simple act of adding live insects to your coop can create excitement among your flock, as they race to catch them all! Common insects you can try are crickets, waxworms, and mealworms. Let the critter-snatching games begin!
2. Make Space
One of the top reasons chickens get bored is due to a lack of space to roam. Roaming gives your flock a chance to explore their surroundings, which can be stimulating on its own. By creating more space for your flock, you’re already decreasing their chances of suffering from boredom. If you’re concerned with predators, you can limit their free-ranging time to a certain amount of hours per day where you can supervise them. Even one hour of free ranging will give your chickens a lot to think about, so it’s definitely something to consider!
3. Introduce A Rooster
Roosters change the dynamic of your flock which ultimately adds a whole lot of excitement to the coop. This gives them something to look forward to each day, and creates a friendly competition to try to win the attention of their male counterpart. A rooster also opens up the possibility of mating to your hens, which certainly can keep them busy. In the world of chickens, roosters and hens are supposed to live together. This will create a more natural, and safer environment for your whole flock. So, adding a rooster to the coop? We recommend you cock-a-doodle-DO!
4. Hold Them
You’d be surprised at how therapeutic holding chickens can be for you, but it’s also beneficial for your chickens. Cuddling, petting, and just holding your chickens will keep their hearts full and their minds engaged. If you have an older chicken who isn’t used to being held, this may take some time to work up to. Keep your handling sessions short and calm, always allowing them to relax and settle down before ending the session. Eventually, even the older hens will learn to love being handled!
5. Add Permanent Fixtures
Finally, nothing spices up a coop like exciting fixtures your flock can interact with daily! Ladders make an excellent stimulant for chickens, as they love to climb. You can add a vertical ladder to help chickens get to their roost, or a horizontal one your chickens can hangout on. Perches are another great way to avoid boredom in the coop. They act as a creative way to expand the space within a coop while offering a new area to rest and mingle. Swings are another common way to ease boredom and boost the overall energy of your flock! Looking into even just one of these fixtures can pay off big time!
There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your flock living its best life. When you work on adding more entertainment to their lives, it will enrich your own. The best part? The more your flock stays entertained, the more entertaining they become for you to watch! So everyone wins!