[Bert]

Not really braking news I know but I'm very happy. I've wanted some Chickens for well over 12 months now. At the weekend 8 Black Rocks and house arrived (previce owner moved and had no space for them). Unfortunately they don't have as much space as they had. Don't get me wrong they have well over the min 2square meters per bird, but it's not the 4 acre field they had to play in. Dose anyone have any boredom relief tips for chickens?

[Rosemary]

Hang up greens - cabbage leaves, cauli and sprout tops, nettles, borage - and they'll peck away at them. Tie them up though - if you throw them on the ground they'll just make a mess. A corn on the cob tied up as well - bit expensive though :-)

Or grow some sunflowers, let them seed and hang them in the run.

Enjoy your chooks - I can still remember how excited I was when we got our first three.

[Bert]

Hi Rosemary
 I've done the hanging of greens. I've got a broccoli head,stalk, leafs the lot hanging from a mini gallows I made.  I don't think they have ever seen veg before they are taking no notice of it. I chucked out some lettuce leafs and carrot peelings yesterday and they ignored it.

[Oneeyedhen]

Hello, My hens dont seem to like a lot of veg unless its been cooked. As I have too young children they get plenty cooked scraps!  I think its a bit excessive to cook their food for them.  They do like lettice leaves and other salad things, apples and bananas. Grass or clover cost you nothing and they'll probably enjoy it.
You'll be needing a bigger run and more hens before you know it

[Oneeyedhen]

Hello again, I've just notived the pictures of your run, I doubt your hens will be bored in there. It looks great. 

[Possum]

I agree with Oneeyedhen, its a pretty good run for 8 hens.
 Once you have put some netting over the top to keep out the sea-eagles, you could put an old branch in the run so that they can perch. Also, if you dig out a spadeful of soil they will have somewhere for a dustbath. (When it's not raining of course!)

[chrismahon]

Picked the wrong breed there Bert. Blackrocks are bred specifically for free range only or they go crazy. Two square metres each is hopelessy inadiquate and pretty small for any permanently contained breed, they should have 15 square metres each. Best thing for their welfare is to open the run and let them out. Yes they have the risk of predators but at least they won't go mad.

[in the hills]

Hi Bert

Hope you enjoy keeping your new hens .....we love all of ours.

Cant find the photo of your coop but if you are worried about them getting bored you could try letting them out when you are around to supervise them. They soon learn to run back in if you throw them some corn.

Ours free range over a couple of acres and I love to keep them this way, but it is not always possible. We had black rocks where we lived before and they spent part of their time in the house and run and part in our large garden.They are ideal as free range birds, but ours seemed very content and were brill layers and long-lived.The final one was ten years old when she died.

Sounds as though you are doing all you can to keep your chooks happy.

Enjoy!!!!!!

[Bangbang]

Our chicken keeps itself occupied by rummaging in the forest chasing anything that gets in her way, including the German shepherd.
But like all animals she follows the food. Her favourite being the cats leftovers, tinned food and bring-back-snacks.
They do get to know and recognise voices / sounds etc. Ours is 10years and old still laying the occasional egg.
A small gravel pit area 2" deep makes a good shelter for bugs to hide, and basically makes another terrain for them to play in.
good luck, and enjoy them!

[NormandyMary]

After a good few years of chook keeping now, It saddens me but our latest lot are having to be confined to a run instead of roaming free over our land. This is because Mr Fox visits us regularly and we have provided sustenance to him so often costing us a small fortune let alone giving us heartache and grief. I really hate it that they are confined to barracks, but they must be happy enough as we are getting loads of eggs every day, and there are no fights. Jethro the cockerel is a fine specimen who looks after his ladies well, and cockles morning noon and night. ~So dont worry about your girls not having as much space, they will know that they are being well cared for and will reward you handsomely for you efforts with lovely tasty eggs.

[Bert]

Thanks for all the comments. Off to build a platform for there food and water now as they seem to have the stunning ability to get every bit of earth they scratch up to land in there dishes.