Boredom busters for flockdown

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Icemaiden

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As mentioned in another thread, boredom is a problem with our hens being confined to barracks due to bird flu. Some of my ex-batts had a feather pecking habit when I got them, probably because of the environment they'd lived in. Now that I can't let them out, bare patches are appearing on several of them that aren't due to moulting. I can fit bumpa bits again, but I was wondering if I could fix the cause rather than the symptoms? If I can give them better foraging opportunities (without giving rats the same), perhaps it'll distract them & give them something better to do?

What do you find works for your flock? And has anyone tried these alfalfa bales?
 
Marigold

Marigold

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Hi Icemaiden. I don’t know what type of run you have, or what size, but I wondered if it’s possible to fix them some extra perches at different heights? Mine spend a lot of time during the day perched companionably on one of the perches overlooking the garden, and flying up and down does give them exercise. And they do prefer to roost up on the high perch at the end of the run, which is open on one side into the run but roofed to keep them dry, and screened off on three sides for wind shelter. I’ve just got in from my morning trip down to them at what passes at daybreak, with a drinker of liquid water and a big bowl of hot breakfast (pellets and corn softened with hot water.) Minus 4.2C here overnight - again. I picked up the line of droppings under the perch whilst I was there - easy to do as the poo was frozen as well!
My five hens live in their 12m.sq run all the time, and I’ve never had any problems with feather pecking. There are also places to hide, behind bales of Aubiose and underneath the coop, which they only use to lay in the nestboxes.
 
chrismahon

chrismahon

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Pot (ceramic) eggs work for us. They attack them and fail to break them so just stop doing it. Problem starts with a broken egg, so it can happen at any time especially if eggs accumulate in the nest boxes. Sooner or later one will drop her egg onto one that is lying there. Can't remember where we bought ours from, but their real purpose it to make a hen broody in preparation for introducing fertile eggs.
 
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Icemaiden

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Two things that I've used to combat egg eating are an eggshell full of English mustard (Tufty was straight into the yummy looking yellow stuff in the eggshell, but she never did it again...) and rollaway nest box inserts. The latter are more effort, but they prevent the hens from getting at the eggs (though only if they lay them in the nestbox in the first place).

Replying to Marigold's question, our run is a good size >2m squared per hen), with a plastic patio table and a wire broody cage with lino on top to jump onto. The run was also built around the greenhouse, so they've got the staging along one side of the greenhouse with a perch block on top, a part bale of aubiose to hide behind & their treadle feeder & a drinker hanging from a chain, both under cover in the greenhouse. As I tell the girls regularly, they're pretty blessed!
 
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bigyetiman

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We got some boredom buster treat ring and bucket from Farm & Pet Place, made by a company called Feldy for hens. We have a huge run that can be divided in two when we get new girls, we tell ours they are blessed, especially as one coop is a big walk in one, and they can root around in the straw and stay cosy and warm.
 
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Icemaiden

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That's a good idea BYM. I might get some of those. Or perhaps the BHWT ones. They're rock hard & last for ages...
 
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bigyetiman

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It is taking our hens forever to get through them, certainly value for money, and keeps them occupied. Although with it being -2c all week they have been cosying down in the straw in the big coop., and not bothering with being outside
 
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Icemaiden

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I've ordered the Feldy one from the BHWT & treated myself to an ex-batts calendar while I was at it. I'd rather pay a bit more to the British Hen Welfare Trust than shop on Amazon any day.
 
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Icemaiden

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Mind you, given how cold the frozen solid hen run is, I think the girls would prefer fur-lined boots for Christmas! They're doing their best flamingo impressions- standing on one leg & tucking the other one into their belly feathers to keep it warm. I can't say I blame them... If it all thaws on Sunday, they'll be wanting wellies...
 
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bigyetiman

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Ours just huddled in the big walk in coop. Quite cosy with the extra straw, with the occasional foray out to the water and food, this morning it was a look of disgust and holding up of a muddy foot. We went from -5 to + 6 yesterday in a matter of hours.
today it feels almost tropical.
 
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Icemaiden

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Shadrach said:

www.gov.uk

Bird flu (avian influenza): housing your birds safely

Manage your birds’ housing and welfare when they must be kept inside because of disease outbreaks.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

Many keepers are not going to be able to follow the AI guidlines without contravening the code of practice for laying hens.
Click to expand...
Thanks Shadrach- some interesting reading. I didn't know that we're supposed to keep records for 5 years of all medication that we buy, administer to our flocks or dispose of. I guess that includes purple spray as well as flubenvet.
 
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bigyetiman

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Thanks also.

I keep a note of when I have dosed them with Flubenvet, and make a note of any cuts etc treated but that is purely for my benefit. Our old Light Sussex was accident prone, and got into odd scrapes, it was quite fun looking at her record.

That is the only thing I have used on my hens is purple spray, Flubenvet. they are pretty tough things really
 
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Icemaiden

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Back on the boredom busters, I hung up a large Feldy block for our 6 girls on 23rd December (it smelled VERY garlicky!) & there was no trace of it apart from the string when we got back from the in-laws' on the 28th. I don't know if it lasted until Christmas Day... The friend looking after them also treated them to a cauliflower crown & the top end of a sprout "tree", so they were seriously spoiled!
 
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bigyetiman

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I got a bucket one and hung it up still in the bucket, which slowed them down considerably. The one I took out of the bucket went in the twinkling of an eye
 
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bigyetiman

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The first one I couldn't get out of the tub, so hung up in the tub. The next one came out of the tub, i thought " oh great" then found out they could consume it in a day and a quarter.

So they will be staying in the tub, I just tied string around the neck, as the handle didn't seem too robust
 
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bigyetiman

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Found a great boredom buster today.

Did the weekly scrub and major clean of the coop, which is not easy in flockdown, even the daily clean up under perches, poo picking is tricky with little helpers about.
Well I commenced the operation wearing a jumper with little decorative metallic balls on, cue 11 girls jumping up and down pecking excitingly at these enticing little objects, oh the fun, especially when they got a good grip and hung on ?
 
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