21 CRAZY Chicken Coop Toys Your Hens Will LOVE! (Free & Fun!)
Chickens are intelligent creatures that thrive on stimulation and toys in their coop are a lifesaver! It prevents chickens’ boredom and reduces stress! It also promotes exercise and mental engagement.
This guide covers 21 top toys as boredom busters for chicken coops. It includes both homemade and store-bought options. From simple DIY projects to specially designed products, there’s something for every flock. These toys will keep your chickens entertained and active, enhancing their quality of life.
Want to see the list of such amazing crazy toys in the chicken coop? Let’s dive in to pick your favorite toys for the flocks! I bet you’ll enjoy the toys and the way they play with them!
Table of Contents
Why You Should Add Toys for Chicken Coop?
Chickens get bored the way we do. So, we offer chicken coop toys! But how do such things benefit us? Let me share it with you!
- Prevents boredom: Chickens are curious and active animals. Toys keep them engaged and entertained.
- Reduces stress: Occupied chickens are less likely to develop stress-related behaviors like feather pecking.
- Encourages exercise: Toys promote movement, helping chickens stay physically active and healthy.
- Stimulates natural behaviors: Many toys allow chickens to express instinctive behaviors like scratching and foraging.
- Improves flock dynamics: Shared toys can reduce aggression and promote positive interactions among chickens.
- Enhances mental health: Mental stimulation from toys contributes to overall well-being.
- May increase egg production: Happy, stress-free chickens often lay more eggs.
- Provides environmental enrichment: Toys add variety to the coop environment, making it more interesting for chickens.
List of 21 Homemade and Store-bought Toys for Chicken Coop
Bored chickens can lead to destructive behaviors. Excited to check the best toys for chicken coops? Here’s the list you’ll love for your flocks!
1. Hanging Treats
Starting from hanging treats, skewer fruits, vegetables, or pinecones on a string and hang them in the coop. Your chickens will love pecking at these tasty treats, keeping them busy and stimulated.
It’s a simple yet effective way to add some fun to their day.
2. Bale Spears
Stuff straw, hay, or crumbled paper into a hollowed-out log or pumpkin and hang it up. This DIY toy encourages foraging behavior as chickens peck and pull at the filling, providing mental and physical stimulation.
3. Shiny Mobiles
String together CDs, pie tins, or colorful keys to create a dazzling, reflective mobile. The shiny objects will catch the light and attract your chickens, offering both visual and mental stimulation.
4. Herb Dust Bath
Add dried herbs like rosemary or lavender to your dust bath. This not only smells wonderful but also provides a stimulating and aromatic experience for your chickens, enhancing their bathing ritual.
5. Hidden Mealworms
Scatter a few mealworms in the coop bedding. Your chickens will be thrilled to hunt and peck for these tasty treats, encouraging their natural foraging behavior and keeping them entertained.
6. Cardboard City
Break down cardboard boxes into different-sized pieces to create a mini maze or climbing structures. Chickens will enjoy exploring and navigating through the cardboard city, which can be easily rearranged for variety.
7. Toilet Paper Roll Treat Dispenser
Stuff a toilet paper roll with treats like hay and crumbled fruit, then fold the ends closed. Your chickens will peck at the roll to get to the treats, providing both mental and physical stimulation.
8. Pinecone Paradise
Scatter whole or halved pinecones around the coop. Chickens can peck, climb on, or shred these, which keeps them entertained and busy, offering a variety of textures and activities.
9. Pecking Blocks
Durable blocks made from wood or plastic that chickens can peck and manipulate. These blocks are great for keeping chickens occupied and promoting healthy pecking behavior, making them a valuable addition to the coop.
10. Pecking Balls
Hollow plastic balls filled with treats. Chickens can chase and peck these balls to release the goodies, combining play and foraging in a fun and engaging way.
11. Chicken Xylophone
A wooden toy with metal keys that chickens can peck to create sounds. This musical toy is fascinating for chickens and provides auditory stimulation, adding an element of surprise and delight to their day.
12. Swinging Perch
A perch suspended from the coop ceiling allows chickens to swing and perch. This toy promotes balance and provides a fun activity, making it a favorite among active birds.
13. Chicken Ladder
How about a sturdy ladder attached to the coop wall for climbing and exploring? It’s great! Chickens enjoy climbing, and this helps keep them active and entertained, adding a new dimension to their environment.
14. Chicken Swing Set
A set with swings, perches, and other hanging toys. This creates a mini amusement park for your chickens, providing various forms of entertainment and promoting physical activity.
15. Shatterproof Mirrors
Unbreakable mirrors placed in the coop provide chickens with a “friend.” They enjoy interacting with their reflection, which can reduce loneliness and boredom, making these mirrors a thoughtful addition.
16. Foraging Basket
A woven basket filled with hay or straw hiding treats inside. Chickens will forage through the basket, encouraging natural foraging behavior and providing hours of fun.
17. Treat Ball Maze
A plastic ball with compartments that chickens can roll around the coop. As they move the ball, hidden treats are released, playfully combining exercise and mental stimulation.
18. Hanging Feeder with Treats
A hanging feeder filled with pecking materials like dried corn or seed heads. This provides a variety of interesting textures and tastes for chickens to explore, keeping them engaged.
19. Dust Bath Tub
A shallow container filled with sand or commercially prepared dust bath mix. Chickens will use this to clean their feathers and keep parasites at bay, ensuring they stay healthy and happy.
20. Hanging Net with Greens
A net bag filled with fresh herbs or chopped vegetables. Chickens will peck at the greens, enjoying the fresh treats and staying busy, making this a nutritious and entertaining addition to their diet.
21. Chicken Seesaw
A sturdy seesaw designed for chickens. This toy encourages social play and balance, adding an element of fun to the coop and allowing your chickens to interact playfully.
See the given video to get more ideas about toys for chicken coops!
10 Tips for Introducing New Toys to Chickens in the Coop
Adding new toys to your coop is a great way to keep your feathered friends happy and stimulated. But it’s important to introduce them properly to avoid any stress or confusion.
Here are some tips to ensure a smooth introduction:
- Start slowly: Introduce one or two new toys at a time. This prevents overwhelming your chickens and allows them to explore each toy fully.
- Observe their reactions: Watch how your chickens interact with new toys. This helps you understand their preferences and adjust accordingly.
- Use familiar treats: Place some of their favorite treats near or on the new toy to encourage interaction and create positive associations.
- Rotate toys regularly: Switch out toys every few weeks to maintain novelty and prevent boredom.
- Ensure safety: Check toys regularly for wear and tear. Remove any broken parts that could pose a hazard.
- Consider flock dynamics: Place multiple toys to prevent competition and allow all chickens access.
- Be patient: Some chickens may take time to warm up to new toys. Don’t remove them too quickly if there’s no immediate interest.
- Introduce at calm times: Add new toys when the flock is relaxed, not during feeding or high-stress periods.
- Combine with routine activities: Incorporate toys into daily routines like feeding time to increase engagement.
- Adjust placement: Try different locations in the coop to find where your chickens prefer to play.
FAQs
Check out the related queries below to get more ideas about fun things for chicken coops.
Q: What are some things to consider when choosing toys for my coop?
Consider the age, breed, and number of chickens you have. Also, the size of your coop and the personalities of your flock matter!
Q: How often should I rotate my chickens’ toys?
It’s a good idea to rotate toys every few days or a week to keep things interesting. This will help prevent boredom and encourage continued engagement with the toys.
Q: What if my chickens seem scared of the new toys?
Give your chickens time to adjust to new toys. Introduce them slowly and place them in familiar locations. You can also place treats near the toys to entice your chickens to explore them.
Final Word
Adding toys to your chicken coop is an easy way to boost your flock’s quality of life. Whether you opt for DIY hanging treats or store-bought chicken xylophones, there’s a wide variety of toys to choose from. These toys help prevent boredom, reduce stress, and promote natural behaviors.
When introducing new toys, go slowly and watch how your chickens react. By creating a stimulating environment, you’ll have happier and healthier chickens that might even lay more eggs. Keep your coop fun and engaging with any of these 21 fantastic toys your hens will adore!
