Chickens can need boredom busters in the winter when there is snow covering the ground for many weeks at a time. We at Our Eden Cultivated use DIY, easy, and sometimes free enrichment ideas. Keeping your chickens entertained can sometimes be a chore, or is it? Some items can be left up in the coop all year. Other ideas are more seasonal.

Let’s explore some options and ideas together. When we first started this new flock, about a year ago, we used red bells I found at Home Depot and repurposed a mirror I had lying around. I don’t know if the chickens ever played with them once we created their outdoor chicken run. There are perches, hiding places, toys, snacks and just plain free-ranging to keep our girls happy.

In the fall we move all of our available leaves to the muddy areas and the chickens love to scratch and peck them. This winter we added some hay to other muddy areas and then piled some of the leaves. The chickens loved it. Even just a change in their run area can make them happy. This is one way to add enrichment without spending any extra money.

DIY Chicken Toys

• Flock Blocks (Check out our recipe here)
• hanging veggies such as cabbage, kale, lettuce, squash, spinach, etc from bungee cord or rope
• hang veggies in a suet container (like for wild birds)

• repurpose items from the thrift store (like a xylophone)
• repurpose items from the nearest woods (such as large branches and evergreens)
• Hang bells in the indoor run
• hang mirrors in the indoor run
• swings made with branches from your yard
• hallowed out logs for them to hide in or waddle through
• chicken teeter toters
• Dust Bath
• old tires
• Chicken crack boredom buster (a water bottle with holes to let treats out). Can use cat or dog toys that are supposed to dispense treats can also be used.
• Compost pile minus anything moldy, such as grass, leaves, weeds, etc

Other Chicken Toys

• Cricket Tube (from a pet supply store)
• Sunflower heads with seeds
• a pumpkin left over from Halloween or buy one and start the carving process, they will continue it for you
• Old CDs or even new ones if you have no other use for them
• Boiled spaghetti or pasta, if you use food coloring of different colors the girls will go crazy
• DIY bird feeders
• DIY Chicken Edible Gingerbread House. Video here

What do you think? How do you keep your chickens happy when it’s raining or lots of snow on the ground? Leave your comments below. Let’s be a community and help each other with our ideas.

Blessings,

Kimberlee