One of the big pleasure of invoke backyard chicken is watching them roam , jump , peck and dust bathe to their kernel ’s content .
From find “ new ” detail and running around with them in their beaks as the relief of the batch gives chase to lay bollock in the most strange place , chickens can be quite curious , adventurous and just obviously way-out .
Hence , it can be very rewarding and entertaining to permit them express those instinctive behavior in the outdoors . However , while chicken are very good at entertaining themselves — and us — there are ways you may serve your chicken ’s quirky side shine through by the addition of a few additional toys ( akaenvironmental enrichment ) .
In the most general common sense , these “ ennui busters ” can be thought of as environmental alteration that are design to further and heighten the expression of natural behavior , such as perching and dust bathing , tomaintain or improve the health of your chickens .
From awelfare perspective , environmental enrichments provide important mental and physical stimulation . They prevent boredom , melt off fearfulness , enhance eruditeness and improve the wellness of your fold .
In this column , we will focus on agency to enhance dust bathing , perching and other behavior using hay bales and nicety structure .
We ’ll also supply tips on how to build upon any environmental enrichment you might already provide . you’re able to always make your backyard more complex and enriching for your flock .
Shade Structures
Are your birds shy and uninterested in stray too far from your coop ?
turn over usingportable ghost structuresto encourage skimming and geographic expedition . Shade structures cater auspices from the Dominicus , as well as from aerial predators .
By adding a cut across structure and create a horse sense of security , your birds will be more likely to branch out and be less fearful overall . As a bonus , they may even use them as a perch place !
Pro Tip
A dependable way to keep your razzing from grazing the same maculation is to move the shade structures every day .
Bales of Fun!
Straw bales of wheat give you the most bang for your sawbuck . They further rude foraging behavior , cut down aggression and improve ramification health .
Instead of peck at themselves or their acquaintance , bird can spend hours pecking and scratching through bales .
However , if not deployed correctly , Bale can backfire and cause more pecking and aggression among your flock . This is especially dependable if there is a really prevailing chicken that does n’t wish to portion out .
If you notice that your chicken are defend too aggressively over who produce to flirt with the straw Basel , try out adding multiple straw bales and put them far forth from each other . This layout makes it difficult for dominant chickens to fight off unwanted visitors . There are too many bales to protect and too much ground to cover between bales .
Eventually the predominant chicken will give up and let the others unite in on the fun .
Hint : you may use the same approach with other types of environmental enrichment or miniature . Straw Basel can also double as platform perches and encourage bird to jump on and off . This leads to better coordination and potent leg muscles and bone .
stalk bales can be used to make barriers between feeders and waterers to promote walking or jumping . Place hay bales in such a elbow room that birds can either jump over the bales or walk in an sec - form to get to nutrient and weewee .
However , this should be done under careful supervision to make trusted no razzing go without nutrient and body of water . instead , you could just range solid food and water far away from each other to increase walking length .
Dust Baths
Chickens are of course good at dust bathing . This is groovy news because junk bathing has many benefits .
debris bathing help oneself keep feathers clean by get rid of excess feather oil color , which can head to tangle feathers with inadequate insulating mental ability .
Similarly , junk bathing can help get disembarrass of ectoparasites . These sponger dwell on the outside of its host , such as poulet body insect , mites and sticktight flea .
In oecumenical , Gallus gallus have a substantial desire to debris bathe . In fact , you may observe chickens attempt to disperse bathe in the absence of dustlike mote . This activity is make out as “ sham detritus bathing . ”
However , some studies have shown that chickens that sham junk bathe may become frustrated . They hold that it does n’t supply the same benefits dust washup provides .
Moreover , there is some grounds that advise adult chickens may develop severe pecking habits if not provided with adequate rubble - bathe material as chick .
The theory is that during the other governance of debris - bathing demeanour , pecking that would by nature occur during detritus bathing becomes redirected to pecking feather . Therefore , even if crybaby can pretend dust bathe , it ’s still important to ply appropriate material that is ironical , friable and fine like grit or peat as early as possible .
Ideally , chicks should have access to appropriate fabric the first weeks of age when the formation of junk bathing behaviour is take place . But providing the stuff after three weeks is still good .
If your chickens have access to dirt and/or you use bedding like Elmer Rice hulls or peat , you may already cater an appropriate substance that promotes detritus bathe .
If you need to heighten the benefits of dust bath for ectoparasite control , research from the University of California Riverside has shown that a 1:4 proportion of food - grade diatomaceous earthly concern to grit is good at handle mites and lice in chickens .
To apply this environmental enrichment , fill a kiddie puddle , plastic cat litter box or similar container with the appropriate amount of food - gradation diatomaceous earth and dally sand . commingle them cautiously while wear out a dust mask . ( Diatomaceous world can do irritation in man . )
Then , as your wimp rubble bathe , the diatomaceous earth grow on their peel and in direct contact with mites . Once on the mites , the diatomaceous ground can absorb or damage the outer cuticle of epizoon . This causes death by drying up .
With this chemical mechanism of action at law in brain , it ’s crucial to note that the use of diatomaceous earth in combination with other materials such as hay may not be as effective . The diatomaceous ground is less likely to be carried effectively onto the skin and between feathers .
It ’s also important to view that the debris - bathing station will require maintenance to keep it light and full . One option to help keep the station clear and full longer is to limit its availability to the heart of the day , every two days , which is the time of day and absolute frequency that chickens tend to dot bathe .
Perches
Chickens of course feel secure when they are resting up high and away from predators . pole are a great way to give your wimp a sense of security measures and a with child means to advertize leg health .
Activities such as jump and balancing on pole help strengthen muscles and off-white . This reduces the chances of your birds becoming injured and possibly even help with lameness .
In addition , by spend less metre walk or rest on the land — where it can be dampish and high in ammonium hydroxide — and more time light , your chicken will have more time to dry out their feet and chest .
This is salutary for your bird . prolong exposure to wet and ammonia water can lead to hide infection or an abscess to form on their foot , a condition know as bumblefoot . Therefore , even though chickens are pretty good at discover places to rest on , it is a expert practice to put up good rest stations .
Perching Principles
While there are n’t any clear or set rules on how to build perch , some general guidepost and peak subsist that might be good to consider .
For example , it ’s highly recommended to measure out enough perch quad to give each bird 6 to 10 inches of personal room . This insure that all your chickens have a chance should they decide to all pole at the same time . They seem to enjoy doing this , particularly at nighttime .
for prevent shuttlecock from easily smack other birds while still gain from perching together for warmness , place pole bars 14 inches aside . ( This assumes you need more than one perch . ) In term of the perch size and anatomy , chicken seem to like 2 - by-2 - column inch panic attack bars with rounded edge .
Although birds wish to rest up high , perch should n’t be higher than 3 feet off the soil . This prevents peg injuries , keel bone scathe or egg falling out .
Traditional perch pattern dwell of A - frame construction or tone construction that lean on a wall . As with dust - bathe material , perches should also be added ahead of time on ( in a perfect world ) . Otherwise chicks wo n’t habituate them as much when they become adults .
As a universal rule of quarter round , perches should be added by 6 week of age . For chicks , perches can be simple single - bar perches . To promote their use consider placing them near self-feeder and waterer . This gets them in the use of perching in the early stage of sinew and off-white development .
If you use more than one perch , the highest part of a pole is highly desirable . It is not uncommon to see chickens fight for a space at the top .
patrician pecks here and there are generally normal . But if your birds become too fast-growing , reckon using a horizontal rod design where all the bar are the same height ( this is optimum ) . This invention may help reduce fighting in some cases by eliminating the desire to vie for the best post .
well yet , try a combination of designs to fit for different preferences . For example , using a combination of a step and horizontal structure has been shown to reduce hostility in wimp . This is opposed to using only one case of design .
By using a combination of these environmental enrichment to make your backyard more complex , you could :
Already using some of these environmental enrichment and think your birds are baffle blase ? Consider motivate them around into unlike configurations . Perhaps make a rotational docket where you take out enrichments and reintroduce them after a few weeks .
Hopefully after translate this column , you are inspired to adjudicate new environmental enrichments or work up upon those you already use .
This article , which appear in the November / December 2019 issue ofChickensmagazine , was drop a line by Myrna Cadena ( Ph.D. candidate in the Animal Biology Graduate Group at UC Davis ) and Dr. Maurice Pitesky from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine - Cooperative Extension .
