Chicken Toys - Shiny Things?

[ClareScifi]

Can anyone recommend some fun toys for chickens? My chickens, for example, love to play with my car keys. I throw them at a distance and they run to them and peck around at their shininess.

I'm trying to think of some other things like keys I could give them to play with? Any ideas?

Has anyone ever built a chicken toy such as the one described in this link below? I think it's a great idea, and I'd like to try to build one:

http://communitychickens.blogspot.com/2011/05/boredom-buster.html

All ideas will be appreciated.

Clare

 

[wren]

Bright large plastic. I would flip a heavy horse bucket over and they would play king of the top of the bucket. It was strange how much they liked it.

 

[centrarchid]

Try laser pointers. Works for cats and fish.

 

[peepacheep]

A small parakeet mirror with a hanging bell. Hung one up with 6 week old chicks. Everyone of them reacted to the new chick in the mirror. They play with the bell time to time.

 

[ClareScifi]

Thanks for the great ideas!

Do you think the little plastic spherical "cages" with a bell in them, that cats like to chase would be a good toy, or would the chickens break the plastic when chasing it and possibly swallow it? Maybe if I watched them closely as they played with it?

 

[peepacheep]

Not sure how chickens would react to the cat toy wire ball but my adult hens have a great time with the wire Happy Hen Treat Balls. I hang them about head high. Whole tomatoes in the wire ball terrified them, chunks of raw corn on the cob keep them well entertained. A head of cabbage in a big 2'' deep plant tray also keeps them busy, the cabbage rolls around but stays relatively clean in the dish. Be forewarned, red cabbage makes for brilliant green pooh.

 

[aoxa]

Try laser pointers.  Works for cats and fish.

Does not work for my chickens, I've tried

 

[centrarchid]

Does not work for my chickens, I've tried

What was their reaction? If some, then train them to follow light to hidden treats. Once they figure it out you will have loads of fun.

 

[ClareScifi]

Thanks, PeepACheep, for the great ideas!

I have cauliflower balls for the hens, and they love that. Will go through a whole cauliflower in just a few days.

 

[ClareScifi]

I'd like to try the laser pointers. Thanks for the fun idea!