[southwestpoultry]

Good Morning,

Just a quick question, what could someone recommend to let our weaners have to play with in their enclosure?
We know footballs are very often used but does anyone do anything else that would give them something extra to do?

We look forward to your replies.

Regards
Robert & Sarah.

[Eastling]

Hi
There is a thread on enrichment stared a little while ago. If you go to the right top corner and search enrichment it should come up.
Ours like to carry  old pieces of hose pipe around, they haven't taken any notice of footballs, kongs or other dog toys i have offered them. They have an old tyre but are more interested in the rope attached to it. But give it ago each to their own.
They will probably enjoy rooting around their enclosure if the earth is soft enough,  ours have given up at the mo as it has been very dry and hot here in Kent.
Good luck

[chickenfeed]

ours have old tyre's that we stuff with goodies they seem to enjoy playing with them, not too interested in footballs but enjoy a old bowling ball attached to a chain they give that a good knock about.

[southwestpoultry]

Thanks for your replies so far, they are tugging around on an old sock at the moment that they dug out of the ground ! Also a couple of used tennis balls.

Regards
Robert.

[SallyintNorth]

Meg says nothing beats a new lump of straw in her bed.  Best of all if I give her a sack stuffed with straw and she can pull all the bits out herself and arrange them just how she wants.  And then play with the sack.   

[Dan]

We give ours a Snak-a-ball with some pig nuts in, which they love:

Pigs with Snak-a-ball

[southwestpoultry]

What a wonderful video Dan, they seem to be having a great time and far better at dribbling than most footballers ! lol

What a fantastic location too!

Regards
Robert & Sarah.

[Sudanpan]

We dumped a whole lot of topper cuttings (basically hay) into the paddock and the pigs had a whale of a time flinging it around, burying into it, making outside nests etc etc.
One of the pigs has a log that she takes to bed with her......
Enjoy 
Tish

[ellisr]

Mine really love it when I take the bedding in but I am not allowed to arrange it or even put it in the bed sometimes I must leave it outside and they both deal with it, they really enjoy it if I tie the bale to the fence or wall and they have to pull it out and take it across to there bed it takes a couple of hours for them to do it all properly but they seem so satisfied with it. cardboard boxes are fun stuffed with straw and fruit as they have to keep snuffling around to find things and then of course they have to sit on the box when empty

[OhLaLa]

Mine also have a snack-a-ball. Also a bale of hay provides great amusement, remove the baler twine first tho.

What a wonderful video Dan, they seem to be having a great time and far better at dribbling than most footballers !

Read this and had a vision of footballers with very watery mouths - then realised you meant a bit of nifty footwork   

[southwestpoultry]

There have been exposed footballers with watery mouths too !

[waterboy]

Hi all,

 Why not try a watermelon! masses of pig interest and unbelievably funny to watch 

[wellies]

Ours love water melons. Harry likes to run around with his bannanas like a dog with a bone, so cute . He's not much of one for rearranging his bed by Elizabeth the LB sow loves to rummage in straw and hay and the weaners love anything they shouldn't be running off with 

[southwestpoultry]

Is it alright to give weaners bananas ? As we have a couple starting to turn that are a little sticky?

The watermelon sounds like a fantastic idea too.

Regards
Robert & Sarah.

[ambriel]

We give ours a Snak-a-ball with some pig nuts in, which they love

That's brilliant! I keep meaning to buy one of those for our boys.

Here they've got a couple of creel buoys, a big hoop on a post and a broom head screwed to a fence post, plus a couple of balls that they totally ignore.

The broom head is great for having a scratch against but they seem to enjoy chucking the hens in the air best of all.