ENRICHMENT ideas

Turn your chicken coop into an enrichment center to keep your girls content and healthy.

- SHERRI TALBOT

Quality of life for poultry and waterfowl is an increasing topic of discussion amongst animal activists, scientists and breeders. These discussions about balancing safety, healthcare and happiness for birds apply to backyard breeders as well as large industrial organizations, but it can be confusing to know how to give our flocks their best lives.

Research has shown that secured coops and runs result in lower levels of predation and illness in birds when compared to free-ranged birds. However, free-range birds have higher levels of nutrients in their eggs and meat, less stress-related behaviors and are — in many reports — said to taste better. Birds raised in enclosed environments, with no outdoors access, are more likely to suffer health effects from ammonia in the air and develop foot issues due to wet bedding.

One effort to balance these benefits with our flock security is to have enriched chicken coops and runs that allow the chickens to live in greater safety. This can involve improving the physical structure of their living environment and adding items to increase activity or reduce stress in confinement.

THE COMFORTS OF HOME

For the backyard chicken-keeper, the enrichment inside a chicken coop should be about the comfort and health of the birds while sleeping and laying. The coop should always be clean, parasite-free and well-ventilated, but the goal should be to encourage them into the run as much as possible. There are several reasons for this:

• Birds that get more exercise are healthier overall.

• Ammonia and bedding dust can cause respiratory issues in birds that stay inside all day.

• Food kept inside a coop can attract rats, opossums, raccoons and other unwanted guests.

THE BASICS OF BUILDING A HAPPY HOME