Page 38 - ALG Issue 3 2016

Feature on... chickens
Entertaining your chickens
Happy chickens = happy eggs
You should always try to nd some way to keep your chickens entertained to prevent bullying or pecking amongst your brood. It is a good idea to vary the entertainment that you provide so that they do not come to expect the same treats all of the time.
hanging a CD for your chickens can keep them entertained for a while. They will enjoy seeing their re ection in the mirror and the rainbows that are cast when the sunlight hits it.
One way to keep your chickens entertained is to hang some vegetables such as corn on the cob, lettuce or any other greens that you have in their run for them to peck away at will. If you hang it to just above their head height, this will keep them entertained for a while as the vegetable will swing around while they try to peck at it and they will have to stretch or jump to get their treat.
When your sun owers have died back, you can cut the heads off and put them in the chicken run. The chickens will enjoy pecking the seeds out themselves, thus saving you the job.
Another way to keep them entertained is to install a swing. Yes,
a chicken swing is a real thing and can easily be bought online! However, this could create the problem of all of your chickens trying to have a turn at once (although this can be quite entertaining to watch).
Cooked spaghetti is also a great source of fun for chickens. They think that they have found worms if you place it in various areas of their run and are funny to watch with spaghetti hanging out of their beaks.
Chickens also seem to like anything shiny; placing a mirror that is made for pets (so that it cannot easily be smashed) or even
Of course, there are other ways to entertain your chickens but above are just a few that we deemed the most entertaining to watch! Tutorials can be found online to inform you on how to make various toys for your chickens or they can be bought for a relatively low price. Now it’s time to enjoy the summer evenings and watch your chickens playing with their new toys!
Beth Cowan
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
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Keeping chickens is becoming increasingly popular, perhaps due to home produced eggs being a healthier alternative. To meet the nutritional needs of your birds The Smallholder Range advises you to choose the most suitable and high quality feed.
ingredients, meaning they have not been processed with the use of harsh chemicals. The Smallholder Range products contain no GM ingredients, no arti cial colours
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Fosters
Poultry Lynton Fields, Naas Lane, Quedgeley, Gloucester GL2 2SD
Suppliers of fertile hatching eggs:
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Large fowl and bantams, ducks, geese, turkey, guinea fowl and quail
Continually working to improve the individual breeds, free range and our unique packaging ensures optimum fertility.
We are agents for Goldline Hybrid Black Rock Hens
Tel: 01452 724565/07709 933064 Website www.fosterpoultry.co.uk