7 Ideas For Winter Chicken Enrichment
Enrichment is an important part of keeping your flock healthy during times of confinement due to harsh winter conditions. Coupled with sound responsible maintenance of your chicken area, winter enrichment helps your flock thrive. Enrichment is any activity which alleviates your flock’s boredom and allows them to express natural chicken behaviors (like perching, climbing, pecking, hunting, and exploring). Enrichment can be provided in many forms including treats, toys, climbing objects, piles of cover litter, and other activities. Boredom is a form of stress for chickens as is overcrowding. Bored and crowded chickens often demonstrate undesirable and destructive behaviors like bullying, feather pecking, and in extreme cases even cannibalism. Boredom and overcrowding also negatively impact your flock’s productivity. Avoid unwanted injuries and boost your flock’s health naturally by providing simple, engaging, creative treats and activities for them to enjoy. Treats should be given in moderation to avoid accidentally creating a nutritional imbalance. I give my flock treats 3 times per week with great success. I offer my flock treats in addition to, not as a substitute for, their complete poultry layer feed. There are many simple, affordable, and even free ways to provide enrichment to your flock during the winter. Enrichment doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective!
1) Make your own flock block style treat.
Using ingredients, you may already have at home you can make your own flock block! Customize your dry ingredients with your chicken’s favorite treats. If the block doesn’t stay in a perfect shape that’s OK, your flock will happily eat it from a livestock safe dish. These are great as treats and also to alleviate boredom!
To make your own flock block:
1 cup layer feed, 1 cup of oats, customize with additions of your chicken’s favorite treats such as a cup of sunflower seeds, grub worms, scratch grain, corn, safe vegetable and fruit scraps, 3 eggs (optional), ½ cup of molasses, 1 cup of coconut oil (melted). Combine dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients. If you plan to hang your block, use a chop stick or pencil to create a hole for your string. Adjust proportions of ingredients so when pressed into the baking dish of your choice there are adequate wet ingredients to envelop but not submerge the dry treats. The portions will vary depending on your chosen ingredients and the size of your dish. Adjust as needed.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line your baking dish with parchment paper or spray generously with non-stick spray for easy removal. Cook for 25 minutes and then begin to check. Oven times will vary so cook less and check often. Wait until it is completely cooled before removing from the dish. Make sure the string you use to hang your treat block is sturdy and not small enough to be easily ingested by your flock. Remove the string when your flock is finished enjoying their treat. This treat can also be easily served to your flock in a livestock safe dish.
Don’t forget during the winter, even if your chickens have access to free range conditions it may be difficult for them to access the grit which they need to properly digest their food. We provide our chickens calcium and grit supplement in a separate container from their food year-round for strong egg shells and an adequate grit supply even when they are indoors due to extreme winter weather. Access to grit also helps prevent conditions like impacted crop and sour crop.
2) Half of a cabbage (or other chicken safe vegetables) on a string.
In my chicken run I have an eyelet screw hung from a sturdy piece of rope. I pierce the screw into vegetables like half a head of cabbage and give my flock access to nutritious vegetable treats. You can do this with other chicken safe vegetables. Note, if chickens ingest a string it can be caught in their digestive tract resulting in injury or death. Avoid using any small, fraying, or ingestible string. Remove any remaining string once the treat has been consumed by your flock.
3) Use a sturdy parrot toy and fill it with your chicken’s favorite treats.
Parrot toys meant for large parrots are also safe for chickens! Make these fun toys even more exciting by adding treats like sliced apples, baby carrots, chicken safe kitchen scraps, or your chicken’s favorite greens. A suet cage (one that is new and has not been used to feed wild birds) can also be used to provide your chickens with enrichment and nutrition.
4) Create a small cardboard puzzle box with treats inside (short term, monitoring required enrichment item).
Repurpose a small cardboard box. Remove any tape or labels so your chickens don’t eat them. As an extra precaution I also lightly sprayed my carboard box with a castile soap mixture and let it dry completely before decorating it for my flock. Safely cut holes in various shapes large enough for your chickens to feed through and explore. The shapes should be large enough for your flock to be able to safely insert and withdraw their head to eat. Fill the box with a cup or two of your chickens’ favorite treats or even their regular layer food. Exploring the box and interacting with the shapes provides your chickens with an interesting visual, a tactile challenge, and a treat! *The cardboard puzzle box is a short-term enrichment as it will quickly become soiled and extra curious flock members will eventually begin to peck at and attempt to consume the cardboard. Remove and dispose of the box once it becomes wet, soiled, or you notice your flock attempting to begin to fray and consume the box itself.
5) Have your chickens spread their own ground cover litter.
My flock enjoys spreading their own pine shavings in their run and coop. When I refresh their ground cover litter, I will leave large squares of pine shavings for them to spread themselves. It’s an enrichment activity for them to explore, scratch, and spread the shavings themselves. They’re also helping with an essential chore to keep their chicken area clean and dry!
6) Provide perches, roosts, and chicken safe objects to climb on.
Natural branches, straw bales, 2×4 perches, and other chicken safe objects provide your flock with enrichment in addition to safeguarding against frostbite conditions by giving your chickens options to escape the cold ground. Remove any sharp edges from any objects your flock will perch or roost on to prevent foot injuries and conditions like bumblefoot. You can also repurpose objects like an old step stool or a thrift store chair for additional perching and climbing spots for your flock to explore. Choose items that are affordable, practical, and can be easily cleaned when needed. Climbing objects should be sturdy, free from sharp edges, and able to safely support the weight of your chickens.
7) Spend time with your flock. When you can safely do so, bundle up with extra layers and spend additional time with your flock during your regular maintenance of your chicken area. If your chicken is large enough you can bring out a folding chair and sit in your chicken area or near your flock. Talking to your chickens softly, offering treats to them, or just sharing their space quietly has many benefits for them and for you. Your presence and calm, positive interaction is a form of enrichment for them. While observing your flock you can also be aware of their overall health, potential issues, and activity levels to help keep them safe during the winter and all year long.
I hope this has been a helpful collection of winter chicken enrichment ideas to help keep your flock nourished, amused, productive, and healthy. Check out Chuck’s other social media for more backyard chicken and homesteading content.
Chuck and the Chicks 