Best Chicken Toys for the Coop
Keep your flock happy and healthy with these chicken toys to encourage socialization and prevent boredom in the flock. There are several DIY and storebought options that can stimulate natural behaviors in the coop.
Even if chickens aren’t as traditionally cuddly as cats and dogs, they still benefit from mental and physical stimulation. Toys can stop them from getting bored and picking on each other. Even the most simple homemade toys can keep them active and engaged in raising chickens that are thriving.
The good news is that you don’t need to spend a fortune on store-bought toys! Most of the time, the simplest homemade toys can be the perfect fit. I hope this list will encourage you to get creative and see what works best for your flock.
Be sure to grab the FREE Chicken Coop Cleaning Guide, below!
Why do chickens need toys?
Toys help keep their minds busy and their bodies moving.
These can be as simple as a hanging treat ball, perches, or even a patch of dirt for them to scratch and peck at. Such activities mimic their natural behaviors, which are crucial for their mental well-being.
Like any other pets, chickens need stimulation to stay happy and healthy. Just like dogs or cats, chickens can get bored, too!
Boredom in chickens can lead to undesirable behaviors such as hen pecking or aggression towards each other!
And yes, even free-range chickens like having toys.
While free-range chickens have more opportunities to engage in natural behaviors like foraging and exploring, toys can still help reduce boredom or stress, especially in areas where the natural terrain might not be very diverse or when they have to be confined due to weather or predators.
More Free-Range Recourses:
- How to Free Range Chickens in Your Garden
- How to Protect Free Range Chickens
- How to Free Range Chickens
What are the Best Chicken Toys for the Coop?
Both DIY and store-bought toys are great for keeping your chickens busy, happy, and healthy.
The best part of DIY toys is that they can be as simple or as complex as you have time for. You can repurpose household items like old ladders for perches or use a mirror for entertainment, which can be set up in just a few minutes.
Learning towards store-bought options? Look for toys that are safe and durable. Chickens can be surprisingly tough on their toys, so you’ll want something that won’t break easily or pose a choking hazard.
Chicken Swing Toys and Chicken Toys Xylophone, 2pcs Chicken Toys for Poultry Run Rooster Hens Chicks Pet Parrots Macaw Entertainment Stress Relief for Birds
Vehomy Chicken Swing Chicken Perch Chicken Wood Stand Handmade Chicken Coop Toy for Hens Chicken Coop Accessories Chicken Ladder for Poultry Run Large Bird Parrot Hen Macaw Rooster Chick ToyPETSFIT Chicken Toys for Coop Accessories, 5 Chicken Perches with Swing are Perfect for 8-10 Chickens, Wooden Chicken Ladder for Pet’s Healthy & HappyGSHWXD Hanging Chicken Feeder – 7.1 Inch Large Iron Chicken Veggie Treat Ball – Sturdy Chicken Treat Holder with 15.7 Inch Hanging Chain – Black
Whatever toys you choose, make sure they don’t overcrowd the chickens’ living space. Keep the toys spread out so everyone can enjoy them without getting frustrated looking for space.
1. Upside Down Tomato Cage
A tomato cage is a garden tool designed to support tomato plants as they grow. It’s typically made of wire or metal and shaped like a cylinder or cone.
Gardeners place the cage over a young tomato plant, and as the plant grows, it weaves in and out of the cage’s open spaces, providing stability for the plant’s stems and fruit.
Besides supporting tomato plants, you can repurpose them as a great treat holder for your chickens to snack on.
Turn the cage upside down to create a frame for hanging chicken treats.
- Take a tomato cage and place it upside down in your chicken run or in another open area.
- Secure it in place with rocks to keep it from tipping over.
- Skewer tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, and other treats onto the cage.
Let your chickens peck at the treats whenever they want a fun snack. These treat setups can be used every day and will give your flock hours of enjoyment.
2. Homemade Dust Bath
Using old tires to make homemade baths for chickens is an easy way to give your flock a place to clean and rest.
- Gather some old tires—four should suffice for a flock of about 20 chickens.
- Clean the tires thoroughly with soapy water and let them dry in the sun.
- Once your tires are ready, position them in your chicken run and fill them with a mix of dry ingredients like soil, sand, wood ash.
- You can also add food-grade diatomaceous earth and herbs.
These materials create a perfect little spa that chickens naturally look for when they want a dust bath. It’s their way of keeping clean and shaking off any unwelcome guests like parasites.
3. DIY Roosting Bars
Roosting bars can mimic the chickens’ natural perching spots, providing them with a comfortable place to rest and sleep.
Aside from that, they also act as a form of entertainment and enrichment for chickens. Chickens are naturally curious and enjoy perching at various heights to observe their surroundings.
You can use scrap wood for your DIY roosting bars. Choose the sturdiest ones, and those that have a good diameter — ideally around four inches wide, so your chickens can comfortably grip them without straining their feet.
Try to install them at varying heights. Keep them steady so they won’t roll or shift when the chickens perch on them.
4. DIY FLOCK BLOCK FOR CHICKENS
A chicken flock block is a compact, solid block made from a mixture of grains, seeds, and other nutritious ingredients.
It plays a few roles in a chicken coop: it acts as a supplemental food source, providing extra nutrients and energy to the chickens, and as an entertainment tool to reduce boredom.
These blocks can be especially beneficial for chickens that don’t have much room to roam around or when they can’t go outside to scratch and peck for food like they normally would.
Some chicken flock blocks require baking, while others don’t. Baked blocks are cooked in the oven, resulting in crunchier blocks some chickens might enjoy.
On the other hand, no-bake blocks rely on binding ingredients like molasses or coconut oil to solidify.
Both types offer great nutrition and fun for chickens.
5. Chicken Swing
A chicken swing is a toy made just for chickens. They can use it to perch on and swing back and forth, similar to a swing for children.
It typically consists of a sturdy perch suspended by ropes that can be hung from the ceiling of a chicken coop or a frame in their outdoor run.
While it may take some time for them to get used to it, a chicken swing can become a favorite activity once they learn how to use it. A swing is enjoyable, not just for them but for us as well. Seeing chickens using a swing is fun to witness.
Making a DIY chicken swing is not too complicated, especially if you have basic tools like a sturdy piece of wood and rope. But if you’re looking for something more polished from the start, going for a store-bought chicken swing might be the better option.
Just make sure they’re strong enough to hold your chickens’ weight and are made with natural materials that are free from harmful chemicals.
6. Chicken Veggie Feeder
Hanging veggies and fruits in the feeder lets chickens have a bit of fun pecking at their food. Like an upside-down tomato cage, it’s designed to keep the food off the ground, which helps keep it clean and reduces waste.
You can make mealtime more exciting and stimulating for your chickens while also making cleaning more manageable for yourself.
You can fill it with Treats For Chickens that they love to snack on.
- Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and lettuce.
- Sliced cucumbers, bell peppers
- Zucchini, broccoli or cauliflower
For fruits, consider apple slices, berries, chunks of melon, or grapes. Just see to it that any large fruit is cut into manageable pieces that won’t cause choking.
After your chickens have finished feeding, simply rinse the feeder with water and use a brush to remove any leftover bits.
Keeping chickens can be a lot of fun and very rewarding! They have their own unique personalities, can be surprisingly affectionate, and often form strong bonds with their owners.
Try out a few of these chicken toys in your own flock and keep boredom away so you can raise healthier, happier, and better adjusted chickens in your own backyard.
More Chicken Resources:
- Introducing New Chickens to Your Flock
- How to Deal With a Wet Chicken Run
- Converting a Shed into a Chicken Coop
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