Chicken teeter totter

[Andyup1]

So I was searching the Google for ideas on how to keep urban chickens entertained while they live their entire lives confined to a coop and run.

One thing I tried to do was make a chicken jungle gym with a teeter totter and a few roosts. I set the whole thing in there and pretty quick one landed on the raised end of the teeter totter. It sank, flipped out, and so did the other 3 chickens. They flapped and flew and made quite a ruckus for maybe 5 seconds.

I honestly thought it was funny, but I hope they get used to it and maybe enjoy it.

In addition, I made a swing, a rope to hang fruits/vegetables from to let them peck at, and a couple of small things. I haven't seen any of them show much interest yet.

Anyone have any success with chicken "toys?"

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chickens generally prefer doing chicken things like scratching, pecking, dust bathing, running and roosting, so providing things that encourages those will be more popular with them.

I think it would take a very special chicken to appreciate a teeter totter.

 

[aart]

Swings and teeter totters are better for humans
Here's some good ideas:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[Acre4Me]

Agree with others to think around normal chicken behavior: scratching and pecking ... they also have a pecking order, so things that disrupt sight lines are great. Roosts in run are good. Pallet leaned up against the wall, also good - make sure no dead ends.

we amended a large area of our run with sand, sawdust, peat moss to create large dust bath area. You can also add wood ashes to the mix -or really fine pine shavings. They will fully enjoy that. We also will occasionally throw in a pile of straw to scratch through. Our TSC sells a heavy pack of Standlee brand chopped straw, wrapped in plastic with a strap handle. This is useful bc shorter bits of straw, the mess is contained and easy to tuck into a corner, plus the strands are shorter and less likely to cause a problem if they eat a bunch of it.

 

[Peepsi]

So I was searching the Google for ideas on how to keep urban chickens entertained while they live their entire lives confined to a coop and run.

One thing I tried to do was make a chicken jungle gym with a teeter totter and a few roosts. I set the whole thing in there and pretty quick one landed on the raised end of the teeter totter. It sank, flipped out, and so did the other 3 chickens. They flapped and flew and made quite a ruckus for maybe 5 seconds.

I honestly thought it was funny, but I hope they get used to it and maybe enjoy it.

In addition, I made a swing, a rope to hang fruits/vegetables from to let them peck at, and a couple of small things. I haven't seen any of them show much interest yet.

Anyone have any success with chicken "toys?"

My Easter Egger, Falcon, LOVES her swing. She's getting pretty good at stunts on it too, like jumping off the moving swing and flying up to a high roost in one graceful swoosh. I wish I could get a video of it, because it's so impressive. She's kinda weird though, in that she loves the same things that human kids like....swings, piggy back rides from her humans, balls, etc.

My Australorp Thyme, will use the swing every now and then, but my two Wyandottes, Salt and Pepper, will not touch the swing. They prefer to peck at shoelaces. Regular, boring old shoelaces.

All of my chickens enjoy the lixit chicken toy, a round yellow ball with holes that you put feed into and they have to roll it around and peck at it to shake the feed out. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005XLOXWM/?tag=backy-20

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have an old wood ladder on it's side in mine they love it

 

[slbenter]

I saw a picture of a xylophone attached to a wall in a run one time. I thought that was cute, and it would be fun to watch them and see what they would do with it. My coop isn't built yet, but I want to try it when it is.
Hanging things like a cabbage from a string seems to be popular too, like a thether ball.
ETA: the colorful, toddler's or Fisher Price xylophone.

 

[sewchick]

I think I would just throw in a bunch of bugs that can fly. Maybe beetles. They are quite amusing trying to get them all.