Boredom busting treat basket!

Recently I got the idea that my Guineas may be bored. They've been chasing around the coop and run just a little too much and a few look like they had some feathers pulled recently. Just...ya know, boredom behavior! It's only the coop that doesn't get to free range and I can understand where they might need a little more activity then their 12X20 coop (and run the same size) might provide. 

I've been trying to come up with ways to keep them busy and I think I've hit the nail on the head with this one. I made them a hanging treat basket! 

This is a great way to help alleviate boredom in the coop as it can cause bad behaviors such as feather picking, pecking each other, bullying and more!

Treat basket for chickens

It's super simple, all you need is a basket with large holes and some twine to tie it with. I used a metal basket that I picked up at the dollar store a few months ago. It has large squares that they can pull the treats out through. 

I hung it on a perch with twine and filled it with treats! I put in some stale bread, cucumber peels, a few split cherry tomatoes, some lettuce and a marigold that I pulled apart.

They hesitated at first, but soon they figured out how to pull the treats out through the holes. The basket would sway every time they snagged a treat. It seemed like they enjoyed it and it took them more then an hour to eat the treats they normally would have devoured in minutes! 

In the summer I sometimes freeze their treats into a tupperware container of water for summer. Not only does it cool them down, but it keeps them busy. 

I have seen treat balls online. They cost from $5-$10 depending where you look. We all know that I'm always looking for a cheaper way to do things and I'm pretty sure my $1 basket qualifies! 

If you can't find a metal basket you can always use a suet holder, and lots of stores carry those for around $3. 

I'm not saying not to buy a treat ball....especially the lettuce ones, because after all a whole head of lettuce won't work in the basket! However, you might have something sitting around that will work also.

~L

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