Have you ever bought fun-looking (and expensive!) toys for your chickens, only to find they barely glanced at them? Maybe you saw that cute video of someone’s “flock band” playing little drums and xylophones, but discovered your flock used the instruments only for stubbing their toes on. Or perhaps you thought that tiny jingle bell set was the perfect gift for your bored feather babies, but they didn't exactly jump for joy when they saw it. What went wrong?
In this article, I’ll be discussing why these toys may not be the best “hen-tertainment” for your flock, and what they might prefer instead.
Why not use the small, colorful toys? Everyone’s doing it!
Brightly colored little toys such as balls, ropes, bells, mini pianos, mirrors, and xylophones are very popular to give chickens as playthings. But the question arises: Do the chickens actually like them? The answer varies based on individual flock preferences and interests.
According to a public poll I created, most people find that their flocks either don’t play with the toys at all, or interest in the toys fades rather quickly.
The poll is titled “Does your flock like small toys (that don’t involve food)?”. It offers these answers:
a. Yes, they play with all of the toys—long term.
b. No, they don’t play with any of the toys—at all.
c. They enjoy the toys for a little while, but their interest fades.
d. They only enjoy specific toys.
e. I (the flock owner) have never given them toys like this.
Here is a chart demonstrating the poll answers (as of June 2024):
Shockingly, no one answering this poll has found their flocks play with all the toys long-term. So why do chicken owners continue to use them? What a waste!
Okay, so these toys aren’t the best option. But what do I use instead?
Now that we’ve found what types of toys don't excite for most flocks, we can dive in and discover what activities chickens actually enjoy...that don’t even involve food!
The Dig Box: Customizable fun for any chicken run | BackYard Chickens article by @thecatumbrella
Dust baths: what they are and why they are important | BackYard Chickens article by @Mountain Peeps
My girls love their baths!
Coconut and Copper enjoying their supervised free range time…
In conclusion…
It’s obvious that small, colorful toys don’t truly interest chickens. There are much better entertainment options such as perches, foraging piles, dust baths, and free-ranging time.
Hopefully this article gave you some ideas for fun flock activities. Share what works for you in the comments below!
This article, and all writing within, is 100% my own.
“Perched peeps/mottled cochin bantams” image courtesy of BYC member @pipdzipdnreadytogo
“Repurposed guava tree” image courtesy of BYC member @paradisepentacoop
The pie chart was created with the 'Google Sheets' app.
The photo collage was created with the 'PicCollage' app.
In this article, I’ll be discussing why these toys may not be the best “hen-tertainment” for your flock, and what they might prefer instead.
Why not use the small, colorful toys? Everyone’s doing it!
Brightly colored little toys such as balls, ropes, bells, mini pianos, mirrors, and xylophones are very popular to give chickens as playthings. But the question arises: Do the chickens actually like them? The answer varies based on individual flock preferences and interests.
According to a public poll I created, most people find that their flocks either don’t play with the toys at all, or interest in the toys fades rather quickly.
The poll is titled “Does your flock like small toys (that don’t involve food)?”. It offers these answers:
a. Yes, they play with all of the toys—long term.
b. No, they don’t play with any of the toys—at all.
c. They enjoy the toys for a little while, but their interest fades.
d. They only enjoy specific toys.
e. I (the flock owner) have never given them toys like this.
Here is a chart demonstrating the poll answers (as of June 2024):
Shockingly, no one answering this poll has found their flocks play with all the toys long-term. So why do chicken owners continue to use them? What a waste!
Okay, so these toys aren’t the best option. But what do I use instead?
Now that we’ve found what types of toys don't excite for most flocks, we can dive in and discover what activities chickens actually enjoy...that don’t even involve food!
- Dig boxes/Foraging Piles
The Dig Box: Customizable fun for any chicken run | BackYard Chickens article by @thecatumbrella
- Dust baths
Dust baths: what they are and why they are important | BackYard Chickens article by @Mountain Peeps
My girls love their baths!
- Perches/Roost bars
- Outdoor Free-Range Time
Coconut and Copper enjoying their supervised free range time…
In conclusion…
It’s obvious that small, colorful toys don’t truly interest chickens. There are much better entertainment options such as perches, foraging piles, dust baths, and free-ranging time.
Hopefully this article gave you some ideas for fun flock activities. Share what works for you in the comments below!
Thank you for reading this article; I hope it offered you some helpful knowledge. Have a fantastic day!
Credits:
This article, and all writing within, is 100% my own.
“Perched peeps/mottled cochin bantams” image courtesy of BYC member @pipdzipdnreadytogo
“Repurposed guava tree” image courtesy of BYC member @paradisepentacoop
The pie chart was created with the 'Google Sheets' app.
The photo collage was created with the 'PicCollage' app.
