Keep it clean

No form of enrichment is entirely without risk. Soil and other natural substrates, for example, can contain bacteria and parasites. For healthier, safer boredom-busting, follow these tips:

Strings, ropes and chains can pose an entrapment or strangulation hazard. Bird trainer Nathan Andrews recommends covering these with a section of stiff hose or aquarium tubing when hanging enrichment items.

If in doubt about the safety of an enrichment item or method, skip it or take time to supervise.

If a particular enrichment terrorizes your birds, back off. “Your goal is to alleviate stress and boredom, not scare them,” Andrews says. “Sometimes you can use training to build confidence so they approach a new item, and sometimes, if you do smaller approximations, you can desensitize them to it. But I wouldn’t present the enrichment again in the same way.”

Never give your chickens moldy foods, and remove leftovers promptly to avoid spoilage. Mold toxins can sicken or kill your birds.

Don’t give your birds easily breakable toys or small items they might swallow, and check toys regularly for wear and tear.

Roaming chickens are at a greater risk of predation. Supervision, secure fencing and ensuring your birds stay in protected housing at night will go a long way toward keeping them safe.

Avoid the following foods, as they can cause illness or affect egg flavor: chocolate, onions, garlic, dried beans/rice, avocados, salty/fatty foods and green potato peelings.

Don’t sabotage your flock’s balanced diet or cause digestive problems by going overboard with extra treats.

Inspect perches and other coop furnishings regularly for exposed nails, loose wire and other potential hazards.