Most of my family and friends know that when it comes to my chickens I try to give them as much enrichment as possible, they live in a 6 by 4 ft shed converted to a coop and have a secure large run attached to it. Even a huge run can get quite boring and boggy especially when it rains so whenever possible they get to free range in the garden. They help control the weeds and dig up your favourite flowers but hey who wants lovely flower beds? On the days when they have to stay locked up with only the run to roam in I try to make sure they won't be bored. I have even made them a swing, people called me nuts and I think I have to agree with them. So far they are being big chickens and don't play on it, I think they just need to pluck up a bit of courage to try it because they will love it.
Anyway back to this treat, my daughter came home from forestry school and handed me a cut off of a branch with large holes drilled into it and informed me that she had made the chickens a treat holder, it was just what I needed so I set about fixing them a treat. I couldn't just fill it with loose treats because they would easily fall out so I mixed some mint & parsley Hentastic with boiled water till it formed a paste, I took a knife and plugged one side of the hole then covered that side with cling film so it didn't fall back out when I filled it with treats. Turn over the branch and fill with lots of yummy treats, I used meal worms, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Once I had filled the holes I plugged it again with the Hentastic paste then cling film wrapped the whole bark and set it aside to set for a short while to allow the paste to cool. My daughter had put 2 hooks into one end of the branch which allowed me to attach it to our wire mesh using a cable tie. I placed it there and put the left over Hentastic paste mix on the ground below it just so they got use to their new chicken run decoration.
So crazy chicken owner I may be but at least they will not be bored chickens.
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