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water filter

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chicken playground
food rope
chicken trampoline
food bottles

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hen boxes

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The chicken enrichment group wants a chicken

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The chicken enrichment group wants to create a chicken swing

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The chicken enrichment group wants to create a chicken swing

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Farm kids give a tour of a Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs, Free-Range Egg Farm

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What chickens eat and what chickens should eat are not always the same thing. Chickens are omnivores. That means they'll snarf down just about anything, or at least try to! I've seen a hen catch and slurp down a snake like spaghetti. I've seen a chicken snatch a toad by it's leg and all of the other hens go in a raucous chase after it, only, at the end to discover that a toad is not good eating. Chickens also eat less exciting foods, like vegetables, fruits, flowers and grass. They eat grains and seeds. They scratch the ground and find bugs and specks of things that we can't see. So, the question isn't really what chickens eat, but what the right diet is for them.

In the 19th century most chickens were barnyard scavengers. They hatched out under their mamas and were taught to look for grain in the horse stalls, and for bugs and greens in the garden. The farm wife tossed stale bread and kitchen scraps to the hens. Chickens destined for the table were fattened on sour milk. Sometimes, in the winter, they'd be given a handful of grain. The hens back then laid only a few eggs a week. This haphazard diet was enough sustenance for them. But, flocks became larger and more confined. Chickens were bred to lay more and more eggs. Instead of 90 eggs a year, a hen now might lay over 300. With the increase in egg production came an increase in the nutritional requirements of the flock.
Laying Hen Pellets
Commercial laying hen pellets (or crumbles which are the same thing but smaller) are designed for today's productive hens. Creating a daily egg is depleting. The pellets have the right proportion of protein, minerals and energy for the chickens. These pellets should make up the bulk of your flock's diet. Your chickens should have access to the pellets all day long. They should go to bed with full crops (the crop is the pouch in their throat where the food is first stored after it is swallowed.) It takes over 25 hours to create one egg. During the night, as the hen is sleeping, she is still building that egg. She gets the materials for making that egg from digesting food. If her digestive tract is empty she can't make the egg. So, let your hen eat what she wants from sunup to sundown.
Oyster Shell and Grit
Even though the commercial feed contains calcium, it is good to provide another source. Coarsely broken up oyster shell is the most easily absorbed form (even better than finely-ground.) I put it in a rabbit feed hopper, which keeps it tidy and prevents waste. Chickens also need grit - tiny rocks- that the hens need so that their gizzards can grind up food. Without grit, digestion is slowed and the hens are less efficient at extracting nutrients from feed. Like oyster shell, grit should be offered free choice.
Vegetables, Table Scraps and Free-Ranging
As good as it is, commercial feed should not be the only thing that your hens eat. A standard-sized hen will eat between 1/4 and 1/3 pound of pellets a day, if it's the only food offered. However, it remains essential for our backyard hens to have a varied diet beyond the pelleted ration. Greens and dirt to scratch in are key components to keeping your flock healthy. If you can let your hens free-range, they'll find plenty to eat. However, for those of us who live where there are severe winters, or who keep hens on small lots, or have too many predators to allow free-ranging, you have to provide a varied diet in other ways.

Chickens appreciate table scraps. They'll eat most anything, from coffee grinds to stale toast to soggy green beans. Some things they won't eat, and sometimes it's a matter of personal preference. Mine don't like raisins, and yet it's a favorite treat for a friend's flock. Not all of the foods tossed in the compost pile are ideal for chickens, but if your hens are getting most of their food intake from laying hen pellets, then it's unlikely that they will overeat any one item in the scrap pile. There's only one item that I know of that is lethal to chickens and that is avocados. Contrary to what you might have read out there, potato skins and eggplant leaves aren't going to cause any harm. But, some foods are better than others. If you offer too many carbs, like bread and stale cereal, your hens will get fat and won't get enough protein. So, dole those out judiciously. In the summer, you can toss all of your garden waste, including bug-softened zucchini, weeds and grubs in with your chickens. Your hens will eat what they like and shred the rest. I don't give them grass clippings, as that can cause impacted crops. The same goes for long scallion stalks. But, it's not a good idea to simply throw kitchen scraps and garden waste into the run, as it will become a mess. To keep everything tidy and healthy I have a compost bin in the chicken run. What the hens don't eat gets churned into tiny bits and quickly turns into good dirt. It's an easy, healthy system.

In the winter, when the compost bin is frozen, I hang cabbages inside the coop for rousing games of cabbage tether ball. I also put treats in suet feeders. Outside, I'll cut a hole in a pumpkin and the hens will spend days pecking at it - even when frozen it will keep them busy and healthy.
Scratch Grains, Meal Worms and Other Treats
We all love to give our hens treats. Unlike so many others in our lives, chickens are raucously grateful for the smallest offerings. But, I've seen a disturbing trend to over-indulgence in the feeding of backyard hens. You can make your chicken sick - or even kill her - with too many of the wrong treats. One food that chickens love is cracked corn. It's like candy to them. But, it has no nutritional value other than calories. It's okay to give a little in the winter when the weather is really cold, but otherwise it has no benefit. It does quickly make hens fat, which can lead to serious egg-laying glitches. So, as much as your girls are gleeful about cracked corn, don't feed it.

On the other end of the spectrum, I am especially concerned about all of the people feeding their hens mealworms. A small amount, like a tablespoon a day, is a fine treat. But, people are feeding handfuls. They're practically feeding their hens pure protein (mealworms are up around 50%) The chicken expert at my local feedstore just told me about hens dying from kidney failure due to being fed mealworms as the main part of their diet. Besides the health dangers, mealworms are very expensive. Yes, it's good for chickens to eat bugs, bugs they have worked for and found themselves, bugs that are part of an active life, and one in which the insects are part of other things that the chickens are sorting through and ingesting. A chicken should have to work for her treats, by scratching and exploring. Chickens should fill their crops over the course of a long day, not at one time. Tossing in a large handful of mealworms or corn to your hens is the exact opposite of what is best for them. Because hens that are active and outside are the healthiest, I keep a compost pile in the chicken run. It keeps them busy scratching and there's always bugs and tidbits for them to find and eat.

Hulled sunflower seeds are a nice treat - in moderation. They have that extra bit of protein, and also contain good essential fats. My retired girls get about a teaspoon per bird per day. Plenty! Don't feed the seeds with the shells on, as too many can cause an impacted crop. The sunflower seeds, and sometimes a small bit of cracked corn) are what I use to call my hens. If you've seen my YouTube video, you know how fast my hens come when called. Since they rarely get such treats, when they hear that can shake, they know something very, very special is waiting for them.

You might see large, solid blocks of chicken treats a the feed store and are supposed to be placed outside for foraging hens. These blocks attract chipmunks and mice to your run, and they don't encourage the hens to move about and search for food. They also are sweet and so the hens prefer it to their pellets. If your girls are stuck indoors during the winter, a block can keep them busy. Otherwise, I don't think they're a good idea.

But all of this doesn't mean that you can't spoil your hens. A piece of crumbled stale bread, a bowl of yogurt, a bruised tomato, will all cause a happy commotion in the chicken yard.
Water
The one most essential thing to provide your flock is fresh water. Even though it does seem as if chickens prefer muddy pools (rather like toddlers in a rain puddle) always have clean water for them. Put the water font up off the ground (a few bricks work for this) so that it stays clean. Scrub the water font weekly. In the winter, if you are located in an area with freezing temperatures, either use an electric heating stand under the waterer (these are designed for chicken waterers) or be prepared to swap frozen waterers for fresh several times a day. A chicken without water will die within a day. In the summer I put an extra waterer out in the pen near the shady area where the hens like to hang out. Chickens overheat easily and water will go a long way to keeping them healthy and alive.

To wrap it up, what your hens need are laying hen pellets, fresh water, greens, fresh air and exercise. Indulge them by giving them an interesting environment, compost to shred, and your delighted attention. Once in awhile, toss them something really special (but keep it special by doing this sparingly!) Your treat will be having healthy, active, laying, hens.
Feeding Chicks
For the first two days of life the chick makes use of the yolk that is still inside of it. After that, the chick needs food and water. Chicks should be given free-choice finely ground feed that is 18% protein. They shouldn't eat laying hen pellets because it is too high in calcium and too low in protein. The easiest way to feed chicks is to purchase chick starter. Do not purchase chick finisher or special "grow" feeds, as those are for meat birds that are slaughtered before maturity. Chicks remain on the chick feed for the first 14 to 18 weeks, which is about when they are mature enough to lay. Some people use medicated feed to protect the chicks against a protozoan disease called coccidia. I don't believe in using medicated feeds unless the chicks show symptoms of illness. So far, I've never had to use it.

Most chicks are kept in brooders, which are essentially heated boxes bedded with pine shavings. These are safe places for the chicks to grow but not ideal. I think it is essential to give the chicks a clod of dirt with some greens attached the first week. The clump of earth is beneficial to the chicks in many ways. It exposes them to small amounts of local microbes so that they develop natural immunity. It gives them something to do, as even chicks get bored! It gets a bit of grit into their gizzards. Most importantly, it teaches the chicks to peck the ground and not each other. Providing that clod of dirt will greatly reduce aggression and pecking issues later. Do make sure, though, that there isn't fine grass clinging to it. The greens should be sturdy so that the chicks peck little bits off. Dandelions are perfect for this. You don't want them getting impacted crop from fine blades of grass. It is tempting to give the chicks other treats as well, everything from sunflower seeds to strawberries. But, remember that if the chicks were outside with a mamma, that they'd be moving and eating tiny bits of things and not standing still and gorging. You can give them treats, but in very small amounts, and make sure that they fill up on chick feed first. As soon as it is warm enough the chicks can go outside and peck and eat whatever they want. Just make sure that the bulk of their diet is a balanced chick feed that they get free choice.

For more about feeding chickens for the first 20 weeks, go here.

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What chickens eat and what chickens should eat are not always the same thing. Chickens are omnivores. That means they'll snarf down just about anything, or at least try to! I've seen a hen catch and slurp down a snake like spaghetti.

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Find and save ideas about Chicken Toys on Pinterest, the world's catalog of ideas.

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candy,popcicles,muffins,cupcakes cookiessnowconescandycona icedonats

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we need a bake sale but first a newspaper to tell all the parents so that the kids bring money.

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For

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eggs need to be sold!

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we need to make a newspaper so everyone knows about the chickens so that we can make money for everything else!

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ball swing

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nesting boxes made out of
wood,plastic and milk
cartons

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corn pieces,hay,

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toy chickens to peck on

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pecking toy with food in it

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egg nests

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special nests

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climbing toy

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egg:5.00 doz,cookies:50 c,cupcakes: 1.00 ,candy:25 c,hot coco 50 c, apple cider50 c car. apples:2.00,muffins: big:50 c small:25 c, pie: 10.00/5.00

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cupcakes 1.00,
cooies/cooklet/penetbutter 0.50,
candy 0.25
,donats 0.50.
muffins 1.00.
goodebags 1.00,
hot chocolet 0.50,
apple siter 0.50,
carmal apples 2.00,
coler 2.00
pie 1.00

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water tube

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chicken feeder

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food reef

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swing

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rope toys to peck on

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Hen boxes

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Ice cream, pasicols, icec,

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Tips on Nest Box Design and the Best Bedding for Chickens

By Joy E. Cressler - Finding ways to cut costs on the farm by making or designating items for poultry farming can boost the family budget-or at least not tap it for new items.

As more people turn to raising chickens for eggs or meat, most of them want to save money in keeping with their desire for self-sustaining living. One option is to upcycle materials from around the farm into chicken nesting boxes.

Purpose of Chicken Nesting Boxes

The basic purpose of chicken nesting boxes is to encourage hens to lay their eggs in a clean cubicle in relative peace and privacy. A properly built nest assures that eggs are kept in a good environment for collection or hatching. Chickens are not particular about where they lay their eggs; however, a suitable nest box in which to lay eggs can make things flow more smoothly around the farm. No one wants to hunt for eggs, except perhaps at Easter!

Best Materials

Nest box construction can be pretty basic or more elaborate, depending on your creativity, available materials, and finances. The best materials from which to make chicken nests are those that are easy to clean and sterilize. For example, metal and plastic can be sanitized, bleached and scrubbed. In addition, these materials don't absorb chicken feces or the product you use to clean them. Conversely, wooden boxes are convenient and easy to fabricate, but a little more tricky to clean.

How Many Hens per Nesting Box?

Most chicken experts recommend an average of one nesting space per five birds. Others say no more than one nest per 3-4 birds, which is more in keeping with the Five Freedoms guidance that promotes proper animal welfare. On the other end of the scale, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs advises a ratio of one nesting box to seven hens. Overall, the minimum standards suggest not over-burdening chicken nesting boxes.

Lining Nests

Chicken nesting boxes can be lined with wood shavings, sawdust or even shredded paper. You can also use grass clippings as long as your lawn wasn't chemically treated. Many commercial supply houses, farm and feed stores offer rubber mats that fit in the bottom of chicken nesting boxes. They cost about $5 each but are likely to last a long time and are easy to clean.

Many experts discourage poultry enthusiasts from using hay, as it can become moldy and detrimental to the chicken's health. But any nest liner can fall into that category. Straw and hay can be used if nests are cleaned often, about every 4-6 weeks.

One word of interest: Chickens often rotate, even from day to day. A fairly thick nest lining seems to please the hens more than sparsely furnished nests.

How to Keep Other Hens & Predators Out

Nests should be designed or placed within the chicken house so they can be accessed easily for egg gathering and periodic cleaning. Poultry experts advise chicken keepers not to let chickens lay eggs outside on the ground. There is a thin coating on eggs when they are laid that helps protect the egg against bacteria, should the hen decide it's time to sit on them to hatch. This thin layer is detectable by predators and eggs laid on the ground will not be safe.

Inside the chicken house, other hens will be less interested in soiling nests if the nests are placed in the darkest parts of the building away from the flock activity outside. A piece of burlap over the front of the nest is also an effective barrier. Discourage your chickens from doing anything but laying eggs in their chicken nests by shooing them out when you notice they're loitering.

Look around your property, you may be surprised by what you have laying about that would make an ideal and inexpensive nesting box. Nests need not be expensive and can often be provided for free or at minimal cost. Providing a nest doesn't have to involve carpentry skills or even the time to build nests from scratch.

Following are a few suggestions for providing chicken nests. This list is certainly not comprehensive, but should get the thoughts flowing:

1. Covered or uncovered cat litter boxes

2. An open-topped ceramic cask or vat pushed on its side

3. Whiskey and wine barrels or 55-gallon drums cut in half and stood on edge

4. 5-gallon buckets obtained from restaurants or other sources

5. Shallow plastic trash cans, sufficiently large enough for comfort

6. Plastic milk and soda crates

7. Wooden crates of suitable sizes (may be difficult to clean)

8. An inexpensive plastic salad bowl from a dollar store with one side cut out.

9. Pet carriers (can often be picked up at flea markets and yard sales)

10. Anything else where chickens can gain easy access, be safe and clean.

Chickens are most comfortable with a nest size that easily accommodates and generally conforms to their own body size. The dimensions of a chicken nest don't have to be exact, but a good rule of thumb is that it's better for a nest to be too large than too small.

General guidelines for making a homemade nest box:

Should be about a foot deep, wide and tall for standard breeds and 10″ high by 12″ wide and 10″ deep for bantams. Larger standard breeds like New Hampshires and Jersey Black Giants need nests that are 12″ wide by 14″ high by 12″ deep.

Have an opening about a foot high in front for hens to enter.

Have a wooden lip about 4 inches high across the bottom front to keep litter in place.

Have a steep-pitched roof, as much as a 45-degree angle, so chickens don't sit on top and soil the nest during the night

Can be made of many types of scrap or new lumber and plywood. Go to construction sites or lumber yard and ask for materials they are throwing away.

Can have a piece of burlap over the front entrance to protect hens and give them privacy and darkness, especially if they go broody.

Should be secured about 3-4 feet off the ground to discourage predators from gaining access to the nest.

Some chicken owners choose to provide ladders to the nests, but predators will also use this and render the nests unsafe. Instead, let hens fly up to nearby roosts and amble into their nests on perches you install in front of nest entrances.

3 Easy Steps to Build Chicken Nesting Boxes

1) Obtain a balsa wood basket or similar type to modify. A half-bushel basket works well for a standard-sized chicken nest.

2) Cut three six-inch pieces of wire. Mark and drill a 4-inch-high piece of wood to go across the front entrance to retain straw. Make sure the wood is long enough to cover the front of the basket along the bottom. Also drill corresponding holes in the basket. Secure with the pieces of wire, making sure to tuck the ends of wire carefully beneath to protect chickens from getting cut.

3) Fill with straw and place in obscure place in henhouse where hens are invited to lay their eggs in privacy and security.
Originally published in 2009 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

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Top 10 Chicken Nesting Boxes | Backyard Poultry

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Tips on Nest Box Design and the Best Bedding for Chickens By Joy E. Cressler - Finding ways to cut costs on the farm by making or designating items for poultry farming can boost the family budget-or at least not tap it for new items. As more people turn to raising chickens for eggs or meat, most of them want to save money in keeping with their desire for self-sustaining living.

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We've heard that chickens usually lay one egg per day. We have 7 chickens, but get only 3 eggs per day. How can we help our chickens lay more eggs?

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chicken nesting boxes that kids can build - Google Search

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Jun 3, 2016 ... Chicken nesting boxes are convenient holders for the fresh eggs that your backyard ... can save money by building custom made nesting boxes instead of purchasing costly ... Build External Nest Boxes for Your Chicken Coop ... 40 Easy & Cute DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids · DIY Patriotic Wreath ideas ...

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what food for the bake sale?
cookies, cupcakes, snow cones, candy, muffins, cona ice, pasicols, donats.

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how much should we sell the eggs for?
$5.00 a dozen

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How long dose it take after the Chickens lay the eggs to hatch?

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Yep! Chickens LOVE to play...and their games don't need to be complicated.

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Yep! Chickens LOVE to play...and their games don't need to be complicated.

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Why do Chickens Need Grit in Their Chow?

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Why do Chickens Need Grit in Their Chow?

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Great question! I LOVE grit, but I've never thought about it before. Here's the answer: Chickens don't have teeth. Teeth help us break our food down into tiny bits so the rest of our body can digest it. Grit is really just tiny stones. Having these stones in part of their digestive systems helps chickens digest their food. Read more about it here:

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Oyster shell. Grit. Scratch grains. So many choices - but what do your chickens really need, and when? Find out below!

Click the image to enlarge.

Ever wonder how much feed to buy for your flock? Here are some general guidelines on how much chickens eat.

Locate a Nutrena dealer near you!

Timing is everything when it comes to feeding your laying hens. Ensuring they have the correct nutrition at just the right time is an important part of having a happy and healthy flock.

Hatch to approximately week 6: Provide free choice access to a quality chick starter ration and make fresh clean water available at all times. Proper nutrition in this critical growth stage will impact the performance of the chicken for their entire lifespan. Use a heat lamp to keep birds warm and provide 1 sq. foot per chick.

Approximately 6 weeks to 16 weeks: Continue to provide free choice access to chick starter and water. If you choose to feed treats (scratch grains, kitchen scraps, etc.), put out what birds will consume in about 15 minutes once per day. This a good guide to follow to make sure treats don't exceed 15% of the total diet. Add treats only after week 6. If birds have access to anything other than a crumble or pellet, provide grit free choice in a seperate feeder.

16 weeks +: Now is the time to switch to layer feed! Provide layer pellets or layer crumbles and grit free choice along with access to fresh clean water at all times. Treats can be provided at no more than 15% of the diet. At this point it is also important to make oyster shell available free choice to provide supplemental calcium for hard-shelled eggs. Adult birds require approximately 3-4 sq. feet of space per bird in the coop; you also need to plan on one nesting box for every 4-5 hens.

Ever wondered why you should feed grit to chickens and other types of poultry? Check out this short clip from Nutrena Poultry Specialist Twain Lockhart for answers!

Leave a comment if you have one, or feel free to ask questions below!

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feeding grit to chickens Archives | The Scoop from the Coop

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Oyster shell. Grit. Scratch grains. So many choices - but what do your chickens really need, and when? Find out below! Click the image to enlarge. Ever wonder how much feed to buy for your flock? Here are some general guidelines on how much chickens eat. Locate a Nutrena dealer near you!

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Why do chickens need grit in their chicken chow?

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More cool stuff about chicken toys—

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A flock favorite! This affordable chicken swing is a great way to keep the flock active and entertained while you're away.

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That's an important question. The word ORGANIC means not using artificial chemicals in chicken food or chicken bedding. Lots of people of have lots of ideas about that. Some think it's a good idea. Some think it costs too much money and takes too much work. You have to decide for yourself if organic chicken farming is for you. Here is a resource to help you understand organic chicken farming.

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Kids' corner - Organic Farming - European Commission

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I keep hearing about organic farming. What does "organic" mean? Is it
good for chickens?

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BOY, DO they! And having fun helps keep chickens from misbehaving! Check-out some of these fun chicken "toys."

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Snowy, sub-zero winter weather, hurricanes or severe weather of any type poses serious challenges for chicken keepers. Once the chickens' safety has been secured from the elements, their safety from one another becomes a concern. Whenever chickens are suddenly confined to spaces smaller than they ordinarily enjoy, boredom and behavioral problems such as feather picking, and egg-eating can result. By having some go-to boredom busters up one's sleeve in lousy weather, chickens can be kept busy, entertained and happy until Mother Nature gets her act together.

A cautionary note about edible boredom busters: Limit edible treats to no more than 2 tablespoons per day per chicken and don't offer edible treats every day. Treats dilute the complete nutrition in a chicken's diet, reducing their ability to be optimally healthy, productive and live long lives. When I refer to treats, I mean anything they eat that is not their chicken feed (fruits, veggies, mealworms, scratch, table scraps, etc.)

When personal space and normal pecking opportunities are limited by inclement weather, cabin fever can set in and chickens can get on each other's nerves. That can lead to aggression, feather picking, injuries and cannibalism. Any of these boredom-busting activities and strategies can help prevent behavioral issues from developing.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL ROOST

Chickens have a natural instinct to roost and perch up off the ground. Provide them with a variety of things to roost on and move them around from time-to-time to keep things interesting. By building up, the total square footage available to the flock is increases.

GAZEBO FROM TREE TRUNKS AND GRAPEVINES
(plans for this gazebo are available in my book, The Chicken Chick's Guide to Backyard Chickens)

CHRISTMAS TREE JUNGLE GYM
Don't recycle that Christmas tree until the chickens have had a chance to use it as a jungle gym!

Chickens care for their skin and feathers by dust bathing, which is as much a recreational and social activity as a functional one. Providing a variety of containers filled with potting soil, (without vermiculite or pearlite) peat moss or good ol' sand breaks up the monotony and keeps things interesting. Large flower pots, buckets or tubs are all big hits with my chickens.

SCRATCHABILITY
MIRRORS
Add a mirror to the coop or run, making sure it is securely attached to the wall and cannot fall or break.

Make feed available to chickens all day long instead of rationing their food several times per day. Being allowed to pick up small amounts of feed often throughout the day eliminates competition for feed and provides the opportunity for a normal chicken activity with a purpose.

SIZE MATTERS
Provide feed in crumbles form instead of pellets to extend the amount of time birds spend pecking up feed to satisfy their appetites.

TREAT 'EM RIGHT
TREATS OR SNACKS
Treats can be employed as an occasional distraction, but should not be relied upon as a primary form of entertainment. No more than 5% of a chicken's daily diet should consist of treats. Improper feeding is the main cause of the obesity epidemic in backyard laying hens.

KALE CRANBERRY WREATH
Make a Kale Cranberry wreath for the chickens with a 44″ x 10″ piece of chicken wire. Roll the chicken wire into a tube and connect the ends. Bend back any protruding wire to prevent anyone from being poked. Stuff the wreath form with kale and cranberries and serve. My chickens loved it!

GROW SPROUTS
Provide several containers of sprouts to ensure everyone gets some.

ALFALFA CAKE PROTEIN TREATS
This Alfalfa Cake Protein treat recipe provides chickens with a variety of protein sources while keeping them entertained and active.

PEEPS' PUMPKIN PIE
Peeps' Pumpkin Pie is a vitamin-packed, nutritious treat that can be made in large batches, frozen, thawed and served any time of year.

PUMPKIN IN THE RAW
A single pumpkin can provide hours of entertainment for a flock of chickens. Remove it from the chicken yard before the birds have each reached their 2 tablespoon limit.

ALFALFA SOUFFLé GARLAND TREATS
This protein-packed Alfalfa Soufflé Garland is a delicious way to offer molting chickens several protein sources in one treat while keeping them entertained and active!

HOMEMADE FLOCK BLOCK SUBSITUTE
Get the recipe for my nutritious, Homemade Flock Block Substitute here!

FLOCK BLOCK ON A RISER
Turn a galvanized basin over and place a store bought Flock Block on top to keep it cleaner. As always, remove all food from the run after the flock has gone to roost to avoid attracting rodents.

HANGING EDIBLES
Different hanging foods can be a fun and nutritious boredom buster for the chickens in lousy weather.
*STRING WARNING*
If a chicken ingests string, it can get tangled up in their digestive tract, creating a medical emergency and death. When offering chickens treats attached to string, always use a thick material such as this sisal string or wire that will not easily break, secure it well so it cannot come loose from the structure it is attached to, remove it from the chicken yard as soon as they're done with the treat and closely monitor the chickens while enjoying the hanging treat- you do not want to miss a minute of it!

KALE BOUQUET
Tie up a bunch of kale, mustard greens or collard greens and let the chickens have at it!

HANGING CABBAGE
Securely tie up a head of cabbage and hang it at chicken eye level for hours of swinging fun!

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
TREAT BALL
Buy a Treat Ball chicken toy, fill it with layer crumbles and let the games begin!

CHICKEN CRICKET
Purchase live crickets online or at a local pet store for a game of Catch-Me-If-You-Can!

CHICKEN CRACK BOTTLES
Use a 1/2″ drill bit to drill holes in empty plastic bottles, add chicken scratch (aka: chicken crack) OR, better yet, layer crumbles, and watch the fun break out! Provide several bottles to the flock at once to avoid conflict & fowl penalties.

In the event best efforts to keep chickens from turning on one another fail and an injury does occur, separate the bird from the rest of the flock to administer first aid and to protect the bird from being pecked by other flock members. Read much more on this topic here.

Order your copy of my bestselling book,

Available now on Amazon!

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20+ Winter Boredom Busters for Backyard Chickens! | The Chicken Chick®

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Snowy, sub-zero winter weather, hurricanes or severe weather of any type poses serious challenges for chicken keepers. Once the chickens' safety has been secured from the elements, their safety from one another becomes a concern. Whenever chickens are suddenly confined to spaces smaller than they ordinarily enjoy, boredom and behavioral problems such as feather picking, and egg-eating can result.

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As it turns out, chickens will eat almost anything! But that doesn't mean they SHOULD.

Read this article to see what we should be feeding our chickens.

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What chickens eat and what chickens should eat are not always the same thing. Chickens are omnivores. That means they'll snarf down just about anything, or at least try to! I've seen a hen catch and slurp down a snake like spaghetti. I've seen a chicken snatch a toad by it's leg and all of the other hens go in a raucous chase after it, only, at the end to discover that a toad is not good eating. Chickens also eat less exciting foods, like vegetables, fruits, flowers and grass. They eat grains and seeds. They scratch the ground and find bugs and specks of things that we can't see. So, the question isn't really what chickens eat, but what the right diet is for them.

In the 19th century most chickens were barnyard scavengers. They hatched out under their mamas and were taught to look for grain in the horse stalls, and for bugs and greens in the garden. The farm wife tossed stale bread and kitchen scraps to the hens. Chickens destined for the table were fattened on sour milk. Sometimes, in the winter, they'd be given a handful of grain. The hens back then laid only a few eggs a week. This haphazard diet was enough sustenance for them. But, flocks became larger and more confined. Chickens were bred to lay more and more eggs. Instead of 90 eggs a year, a hen now might lay over 300. With the increase in egg production came an increase in the nutritional requirements of the flock.
Laying Hen Pellets
Commercial laying hen pellets (or crumbles which are the same thing but smaller) are designed for today's productive hens. Creating a daily egg is depleting. The pellets have the right proportion of protein, minerals and energy for the chickens. These pellets should make up the bulk of your flock's diet. Your chickens should have access to the pellets all day long. They should go to bed with full crops (the crop is the pouch in their throat where the food is first stored after it is swallowed.) It takes over 25 hours to create one egg. During the night, as the hen is sleeping, she is still building that egg. She gets the materials for making that egg from digesting food. If her digestive tract is empty she can't make the egg. So, let your hen eat what she wants from sunup to sundown.
Oyster Shell and Grit
Even though the commercial feed contains calcium, it is good to provide another source. Coarsely broken up oyster shell is the most easily absorbed form (even better than finely-ground.) I put it in a rabbit feed hopper, which keeps it tidy and prevents waste. Chickens also need grit - tiny rocks- that the hens need so that their gizzards can grind up food. Without grit, digestion is slowed and the hens are less efficient at extracting nutrients from feed. Like oyster shell, grit should be offered free choice.
Vegetables, Table Scraps and Free-Ranging
As good as it is, commercial feed should not be the only thing that your hens eat. A standard-sized hen will eat between 1/4 and 1/3 pound of pellets a day, if it's the only food offered. However, it remains essential for our backyard hens to have a varied diet beyond the pelleted ration. Greens and dirt to scratch in are key components to keeping your flock healthy. If you can let your hens free-range, they'll find plenty to eat. However, for those of us who live where there are severe winters, or who keep hens on small lots, or have too many predators to allow free-ranging, you have to provide a varied diet in other ways.

Chickens appreciate table scraps. They'll eat most anything, from coffee grinds to stale toast to soggy green beans. Some things they won't eat, and sometimes it's a matter of personal preference. Mine don't like raisins, and yet it's a favorite treat for a friend's flock. Not all of the foods tossed in the compost pile are ideal for chickens, but if your hens are getting most of their food intake from laying hen pellets, then it's unlikely that they will overeat any one item in the scrap pile. There's only one item that I know of that is lethal to chickens and that is avocados. Contrary to what you might have read out there, potato skins and eggplant leaves aren't going to cause any harm. But, some foods are better than others. If you offer too many carbs, like bread and stale cereal, your hens will get fat and won't get enough protein. So, dole those out judiciously. In the summer, you can toss all of your garden waste, including bug-softened zucchini, weeds and grubs in with your chickens. Your hens will eat what they like and shred the rest. I don't give them grass clippings, as that can cause impacted crops. The same goes for long scallion stalks. But, it's not a good idea to simply throw kitchen scraps and garden waste into the run, as it will become a mess. To keep everything tidy and healthy I have a compost bin in the chicken run. What the hens don't eat gets churned into tiny bits and quickly turns into good dirt. It's an easy, healthy system.

In the winter, when the compost bin is frozen, I hang cabbages inside the coop for rousing games of cabbage tether ball. I also put treats in suet feeders. Outside, I'll cut a hole in a pumpkin and the hens will spend days pecking at it - even when frozen it will keep them busy and healthy.
Scratch Grains, Meal Worms and Other Treats
We all love to give our hens treats. Unlike so many others in our lives, chickens are raucously grateful for the smallest offerings. But, I've seen a disturbing trend to over-indulgence in the feeding of backyard hens. You can make your chicken sick - or even kill her - with too many of the wrong treats. One food that chickens love is cracked corn. It's like candy to them. But, it has no nutritional value other than calories. It's okay to give a little in the winter when the weather is really cold, but otherwise it has no benefit. It does quickly make hens fat, which can lead to serious egg-laying glitches. So, as much as your girls are gleeful about cracked corn, don't feed it.

On the other end of the spectrum, I am especially concerned about all of the people feeding their hens mealworms. A small amount, like a tablespoon a day, is a fine treat. But, people are feeding handfuls. They're practically feeding their hens pure protein (mealworms are up around 50%) The chicken expert at my local feedstore just told me about hens dying from kidney failure due to being fed mealworms as the main part of their diet. Besides the health dangers, mealworms are very expensive. Yes, it's good for chickens to eat bugs, bugs they have worked for and found themselves, bugs that are part of an active life, and one in which the insects are part of other things that the chickens are sorting through and ingesting. A chicken should have to work for her treats, by scratching and exploring. Chickens should fill their crops over the course of a long day, not at one time. Tossing in a large handful of mealworms or corn to your hens is the exact opposite of what is best for them. Because hens that are active and outside are the healthiest, I keep a compost pile in the chicken run. It keeps them busy scratching and there's always bugs and tidbits for them to find and eat.

Hulled sunflower seeds are a nice treat - in moderation. They have that extra bit of protein, and also contain good essential fats. My retired girls get about a teaspoon per bird per day. Plenty! Don't feed the seeds with the shells on, as too many can cause an impacted crop. The sunflower seeds, and sometimes a small bit of cracked corn) are what I use to call my hens. If you've seen my YouTube video, you know how fast my hens come when called. Since they rarely get such treats, when they hear that can shake, they know something very, very special is waiting for them.

You might see large, solid blocks of chicken treats a the feed store and are supposed to be placed outside for foraging hens. These blocks attract chipmunks and mice to your run, and they don't encourage the hens to move about and search for food. They also are sweet and so the hens prefer it to their pellets. If your girls are stuck indoors during the winter, a block can keep them busy. Otherwise, I don't think they're a good idea.

But all of this doesn't mean that you can't spoil your hens. A piece of crumbled stale bread, a bowl of yogurt, a bruised tomato, will all cause a happy commotion in the chicken yard.
Water
The one most essential thing to provide your flock is fresh water. Even though it does seem as if chickens prefer muddy pools (rather like toddlers in a rain puddle) always have clean water for them. Put the water font up off the ground (a few bricks work for this) so that it stays clean. Scrub the water font weekly. In the winter, if you are located in an area with freezing temperatures, either use an electric heating stand under the waterer (these are designed for chicken waterers) or be prepared to swap frozen waterers for fresh several times a day. A chicken without water will die within a day. In the summer I put an extra waterer out in the pen near the shady area where the hens like to hang out. Chickens overheat easily and water will go a long way to keeping them healthy and alive.

To wrap it up, what your hens need are laying hen pellets, fresh water, greens, fresh air and exercise. Indulge them by giving them an interesting environment, compost to shred, and your delighted attention. Once in awhile, toss them something really special (but keep it special by doing this sparingly!) Your treat will be having healthy, active, laying, hens.
Feeding Chicks
For the first two days of life the chick makes use of the yolk that is still inside of it. After that, the chick needs food and water. Chicks should be given free-choice finely ground feed that is 18% protein. They shouldn't eat laying hen pellets because it is too high in calcium and too low in protein. The easiest way to feed chicks is to purchase chick starter. Do not purchase chick finisher or special "grow" feeds, as those are for meat birds that are slaughtered before maturity. Chicks remain on the chick feed for the first 14 to 18 weeks, which is about when they are mature enough to lay. Some people use medicated feed to protect the chicks against a protozoan disease called coccidia. I don't believe in using medicated feeds unless the chicks show symptoms of illness. So far, I've never had to use it.

Most chicks are kept in brooders, which are essentially heated boxes bedded with pine shavings. These are safe places for the chicks to grow but not ideal. I think it is essential to give the chicks a clod of dirt with some greens attached the first week. The clump of earth is beneficial to the chicks in many ways. It exposes them to small amounts of local microbes so that they develop natural immunity. It gives them something to do, as even chicks get bored! It gets a bit of grit into their gizzards. Most importantly, it teaches the chicks to peck the ground and not each other. Providing that clod of dirt will greatly reduce aggression and pecking issues later. Do make sure, though, that there isn't fine grass clinging to it. The greens should be sturdy so that the chicks peck little bits off. Dandelions are perfect for this. You don't want them getting impacted crop from fine blades of grass. It is tempting to give the chicks other treats as well, everything from sunflower seeds to strawberries. But, remember that if the chicks were outside with a mamma, that they'd be moving and eating tiny bits of things and not standing still and gorging. You can give them treats, but in very small amounts, and make sure that they fill up on chick feed first. As soon as it is warm enough the chicks can go outside and peck and eat whatever they want. Just make sure that the bulk of their diet is a balanced chick feed that they get free choice.

For more about feeding chickens for the first 20 weeks, go here.

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What chickens eat and what chickens should eat are not always the same thing. Chickens are omnivores. That means they'll snarf down just about anything, or at least try to! I've seen a hen catch and slurp down a snake like spaghetti.

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Do chickens like to play?

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The Enrichment Group—Keeping Chickens HAPPY

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The Enrichment Group—Keeping Chickens HAPPY

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Enjoy these links to great ideas to help chickens have an interesting and happy life.

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What kind of food is best for our chickens?
Thanks!
Rebel

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Enjoy these links to information about what chickens need to stay healthy.