Latest / Valley Hatchery Podcast / Chicken Supports Insights - Episode 47: Are Your Chickens Bored? The Backyard Behaviors Most Owners Misread

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Chicken Supports Insights - Episode 47: Are Your Chickens Bored? The Backyard Behaviors Most Owners Misread · Valley Hatchery Podcast

• 0:09
  Tina: Hi everyone, welcome back to the Chicken Insights Podcast.
• 0:12
  Tina: I'm Tina.
• 0:14
  Tina: Today we're talking about something that a lot of backyard chicken owners probably wonder about at some point.
• 0:20
  Tina: Are your chickens actually bored or are you just misreading what they are doing?
• 0:24
  Tina: We're going to talk about some of those everyday behaviors we see in the backyard flux, including scratching, dustbathing, feather picking, and bullying.
• 0:32
  Tina: And we're also going to talk about some simple ways to give chickens more opportunities to engage in natural behaviors.
• 0:40
  Nikki: Yeah, I think it's really easy to see a chicken doing something unusual and immediately think something is wrong.
• 0:46
  Nikki: Sometimes you just need to understand what that behavior actually means.
• 0:51
  Nikki: Exactly.
• 0:52
  Tina: So today we're going to focus on observation first.
• 0:55
  Tina: Then what you can do to support a healthy and engaged flock.
• 0:59
  Tina: All right, let's get into it.
• 1:01
  Tina: Let's start with the everyday behaviors.
• 1:04
  Tina: What are some things chickens do that owners might mistake for boredom or bad behavior, Nikki?
• 1:11
  Nikki: Well, I think scratching is probably one of the easiest things to misread.
• 1:16
  Nikki: A chicken can spend a lot of time scratching around, pecking at things and digging, but that's a pretty normal part of how they interact with their environment.
• 1:24
  Nikki: They're naturally curious and active, but they scratch to look for food, insects, and other interesting things in their environment, and they investigate anything that might catch their attention.
• 1:34
  Nikki: Exploration is an important part of how chickens interact with the world around them.
• 1:38
  Nikki: Dust bathing is another behavior that can look a little strange at first.
• 1:42
  Nikki: A chicken might drop to the ground, kick dirt over its body, roll around, and lie there looking like something is wrong.
• 1:48
  Nikki: But dust bathing is a normal behavior that helps chickens maintain their feathers and skin.
• 1:53
  Nikki: They need access to a suitable dry area where they can do this.
• 1:56
  Nikki: Then there's pecking and investigating their surroundings.
• 1:59
  Nikki: Chickens explore with their beaks, so they may peck at new objects, inspect a feeder, investigate a shoe even, or examine something, you know, over and over again that might seem interesting to us.
• 2:10
  Nikki: That doesn't automatically mean they're being aggressive or destructive.
• 2:14
  Nikki: Pecking is one of the primary ways chickens learn about their environment.
• 2:17
  Nikki: Of course, there's a difference between curious pecking and persistent, forceful pecking that injures another bird.
• 2:23
  Nikki: You also notice chickens moving constantly around the flock and interacting with one another.
• 2:28
  Nikki: They may follow each other briefly, chase another bird away from food, establish that pecking order boundary, or move between groups throughout the day.
• 2:36
  Nikki: Some of these interactions can look dramatic to a new flock owner, even when they're normal social behaviors.
• 2:42
  Nikki: What matters is whether the birds can eat, drink, and move away from one another without one bird being bullied or injured.
• 2:49
  Nikki: That's why it can seem strange to someone just starting out because we tend to judge based on our experience without realizing it's their natural instincts.
• 2:56
  Nikki: One of the most important things an owner can do is watch the overall flock rather than judging behavior in isolation.
• 3:03
  Nikki: You have to look at the bigger picture and are they eating and drinking normally?
• 3:07
  Nikki: Are they active, alert, and interacting with each other, resting comfortably, observing patterns over time, you'll start to recognize when they're typically foraged, dustbathed, rest, lay eggs, interact with their flock mates, and you also get to know their personalities, which makes it easier to distinguish normal behavior from something that may need attention, you know, later on down the line.
• 3:27
  Tina: Yeah, definitely.
• 3:28
  Tina: So just because they're busy scratching and pecking doesn't mean they're necessarily bored per se.
• 3:34
  Nikki: Exactly.
• 3:34
  Nikki: Sometimes what looks like boredom is actually a chicken doing what chickens naturally do.
• 3:39
  Tina: Yeah.
• 3:40
  Tina: And I think that's especially important for someone who's still learning how their flocks should be in a normal situation and normal behavior.
• 3:47
  Tina: Right.
• 3:47
  Nikki: So what about behaviors like feather picking or bullying?
• 3:51
  Nikki: When should an owner take a closer look?
• 3:54
  Tina: Yeah, so that's where I think observation becomes really important, like you had mentioned.
• 3:58
  Tina: Feather picking can sometimes be connected to things like overcrowding or boredom, but there can be other factors too.
• 4:06
  Tina: So I wouldn't want someone to look at one behavior and immediately assume they know the cause.
• 4:11
  Tina: Chickens naturally peck at each other, just like you mentioned, and at other things, mostly other things, but at each other from time to time.
• 4:18
  Tina: That's almost their way of touching, like how we would use our hands.
• 4:22
  Tina: They use their beaks.
• 4:24
  Tina: And so it's part of how they establish their pecking order, too.
• 4:28
  Tina: So they're dominant.
• 4:29
  Tina: So a little pecking here and there isn't necessarily something to worry about.
• 4:33
  Tina: But when it becomes repetitive or aggressive, like you mentioned, or you notice the same bird being picked on constantly, that's when it's time to take a closer look.
• 4:45
  Tina: And I would start by looking at the flock's overall environment, like you mentioned.
• 4:49
  Tina: Do they have enough space?
• 4:51
  Tina: That's one of the big things.
• 4:52
  Tina: They just really don't have enough space.
• 4:54
  Tina: Are there enough feeders and waterers, especially in the summertime when the shade doesn't stay, you know, the shade moves a lot?
• 5:03
  Tina: You want to make sure you have multiple water stations that they're fresh.
• 5:07
  Tina: You don't want certain birds hogging them, you know, or something like that.
• 5:11
  Tina: Same with food.
• 5:12
  Tina: And do they have things to keep them busy?
• 5:15
  Tina: Opportunities to scratch and forage.
• 5:17
  Tina: Nutrition, stress, and changes within the flock can also play a role.
• 5:21
  Tina: So sometimes it's not just one thing causing the behavior, it could be several things at once.
• 5:26
  Tina: That's why you just kind of take a look and notice each and everything and then assess from there.
• 5:33
  Tina: I'd probably pay attention to whether any birds are losing feathers, though, developing injuries, you know, hiding, or being if you're physically see that birds are keeping other birds away from food or water.
• 5:47
  Tina: You know, those things can be pretty traumatic for the bird that's being picked on.
• 5:51
  Tina: And I think the biggest takeaway is that not every peck means the same thing.
• 5:56
  Tina: You really have to look at the whole situation before deciding what's going on.
• 6:01
  Tina: And if a bird is being repeatedly attacked or injured, that's something you want to address right away.
• 6:06
  Nikki: Exactly.
• 6:07
  Nikki: Yeah, and that's the important distinction.
• 6:09
  Nikki: You don't necessarily want to jump straight to, oh, my chickens are born without looking at, you know, everything else that's happening.
• 6:15
  Tina: Right, yeah, exactly.
• 6:16
  Tina: I mean, look at the environment, the space they're in, what they're doing throughout the day, and whether the behavior is happening repeatedly.
• 6:23
  Nikki: Right.
• 6:24
  Tina: And you're trying to understand the behavior instead of just reacting to it.
• 6:27
  Tina: Right, yeah, absolutely.
• 6:29
  Tina: So, Nikki, if someone does want to give their chickens more enrichment, what are some simple things they can try?
• 6:35
  Nikki: I think the biggest thing is that enrichment doesn't have to be complicated.
• 6:39
  Nikki: You can give chickens more opportunities to move around, scratch, explore, or use their environment in different ways.
• 6:45
  Nikki: The goal is to encourage the natural behaviors chickens are already wired to do, like scratching, exploring, pecking, perching, and dust bathing.
• 6:53
  Nikki: You can do this, you can scatter a small amount of their regular feed or scratch grains in appropriate bedding, or leaf litter to encourage foraging.
• 7:01
  Nikki: You can also provide safe branches or low perches for them to explore at a dust bathing area if they don't already have one, or introduce interesting items like piles of leaves or hay to investigate.
• 7:12
  Nikki: Turn something as simple as hanging leafy grains where birds can safely reach them.
• 7:18
  Nikki: Can encourage movement and natural pecking behaviors.
• 7:21
  Nikki: You can also make their space more interesting by changing the arrangement of safe objects, adding places to explore, or creating areas where birds can spread out and get away from one another.
• 7:31
  Nikki: The important thing is to choose enrichment that is appropriate for the age and size of your bird, the space available and your flock's environment.
• 7:38
  Nikki: Anything you introduce should be safe, stable, clean, and free of hazards, and treats should never replace a balanced poultry feed.
• 7:46
  Nikki: Also, something that is really important.
• 7:48
  Nikki: Not every flock will enjoy the same activities.
• 7:51
  Nikki: Some chickens may immediately investigate a new object, while others may take a few days to warm up to it.
• 7:57
  Nikki: Watch how your birds respond.
• 7:59
  Nikki: Are they actually exploring and foraging or are they ignoring the activity altogether?
• 8:03
  Nikki: Are all the birds getting an opportunity to participate?
• 8:06
  Nikki: It doesn't have to be complicated.
• 8:08
  Nikki: Sometimes the simplest ideas are the most effective.
• 8:11
  Nikki: The key is to observe your flock, see what they actually engage with, and make adjustments based on their behavior.
• 8:18
  Nikki: You're not just giving them something to do, you're creating an environment that allows them to express their natural behaviors.
• 8:24
  Tina: Right.
• 8:24
  Tina: Yeah, I think that because that makes the enrichment feel much more manageable for just a backyard flock owner.
• 8:32
  Tina: I think just makes things so much easier.
• 8:34
  Nikki: Exactly.
• 8:35
  Nikki: Like I said, it doesn't have to be that elaborate setup.
• 8:38
  Nikki: Even simple changes that can give them something appropriate to investigate can be useful.
• 8:43
  Tina: Yeah, and then you can actually watch your chickens and see what they seem interested in and then just go from there.
• 8:49
  Tina: And before we continue, here's a quick message from Valley Hatchery.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, this is Cortney, Customer Support Manager here at Valley Hatchery.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: Before we get back to the episode, I have a quick update for anyone already planning their 2027 flock.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: Early reservations are still open and going strong.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't have your birds secured yet, head over to Valley Hatchery right now.
• 9:14
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• 9:17
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• 9:27
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• 9:32
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• 9:35
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• 9:37
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• 9:46
  Nikki: Welcome back to the Chicken Insights Podcast.
• 9:49
  Nikki: Let's get back into chicken behavior and some of the ways we can give our backyard flocks more opportunities to stay active and engaged.
• 9:58
  Nikki: What is the biggest mistake owners make when they try to interpret their chickens' behavior?
• 10:04
  Tina: I think, Nikki, the biggest mistake is probably assuming we already know what a behavior means.
• 10:10
  Tina: Chickens communicate and interact with their environment in ways that can look strange to us.
• 10:15
  Tina: So it's worth slowing down and watching what's actually happening.
• 10:19
  Tina: I think a lot of people automatically assume that if their chickens are doing something unusual, they must be bored.
• 10:26
  Tina: And while boredom can certainly play a role, that's not always the case.
• 10:30
  Tina: You want to look at the entire flock rather than just focusing on one bird.
• 10:34
  Tina: That's very important.
• 10:35
  Tina: Get to know each bird, but really as a whole, how they actually work together.
• 10:39
  Tina: And, you know, are other chickens acting normally?
• 10:42
  Tina: Has something changed in their environment?
• 10:44
  Tina: Maybe they've been confined more than usual because there's been a predator around and you've had to keep them in the run.
• 10:50
  Tina: Or you introduce a new bird that can certainly kind of disrupt things.
• 10:54
  Tina: So it's something that has disrupted their normal routine.
• 10:58
  Tina: It's also important to give chickens opportunities to do what comes naturally to them.
• 11:03
  Tina: And that is, like you mentioned, scratching, dustbathing, foraging, exploring.
• 11:07
  Tina: Sometimes providing those opportunities can make a big difference in their behavior.
• 11:13
  Tina: Another mistake is trying to fix everything at once.
• 11:16
  Tina: If you make five different changes, how do you really know which one really helped?
• 11:21
  Tina: You know, sometimes you just got to go back to the basics one at a time.
• 11:24
  Tina: It's better to make one adjustment, observe the result, and then go from there.
• 11:28
  Tina: I think that more time you spend with your flock, the more you get to recognize what's normal for your particular flock.
• 11:37
  Tina: Every flock has its own personality and dynamics.
• 11:40
  Tina: They just kind of automatically get into a rhythm, if you will.
• 11:44
  Tina: So at the end of the day, good flock care isn't just about feeding and housing your chickens.
• 11:49
  Tina: It's also about paying attention to what they're telling you throughout their behavior, you know, through their behavior.
• 11:56
  Tina: For anyone that wants to learn more, I would definitely encourage you to check out our blog.
• 12:01
  Tina: It's seven easy ways to keep backyard chickens mentally stimulated.
• 12:06
  Nikki: All right.
• 12:08
  Nikki: And as we said, sometimes the first step isn't changing something.
• 12:11
  Nikki: And again, just watch your flock and you know pay close attention to them.
• 12:15
  Tina: Yeah, exactly.
• 12:16
  Tina: Once you know what's normal for your flock, it's easier to notice when something actually changes.
• 12:21
  Nikki: And that can help owners make more thoughtful decisions instead of reacting to every little behavior.
• 12:27
  Nikki: Right.
• 12:27
  Tina: Yeah, absolutely.
• 12:29
  Tina: And Nikki, if you had to give one piece of advice to someone who thinks their chickens might be bored, what would you tell them?
• 12:36
  Nikki: I'd say start by watching them.
• 12:38
  Nikki: We've said it.
• 12:39
  Nikki: Look at what they're doing throughout the day and think about whether they have opportunities to scratch, explore, dust bathe, and interact with their environment.
• 12:47
  Nikki: Then if you think they could use more enrichment, start simple and see how they respond.
• 12:52
  Tina: Yeah, I think that's a great takeaway.
• 12:54
  Tina: You don't have to completely redesign your backyard or build something complicated.
• 12:59
  Tina: Start with an observation.
• 13:00
  Tina: Understand your flock and look for simple ways to support natural behaviors.
• 13:04
  Nikki: Exactly.
• 13:05
  Nikki: And if you notice something like feather picking or bullying, don't automatically assume boredom is the only explanation.
• 13:11
  Nikki: Look at the bigger picture.
• 13:12
  Tina: Right.
• 13:13
  Tina: The goal isn't to label every behavior, it's to understand your birds well enough to recognize what's normal for them and when something deserves a closer look.
• 13:22
  Tina: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the Chicken Insights podcast so you don't miss our upcoming conversations about raising healthy backyard flocks.
• 13:31
  Nikki: And if you're a flock keeper with a question you'd like us to answer in a future episode, send it to us through the fan mail feature.
• 13:39
  Tina: Your questions help us understand what flock owners are actually working through, and they may become topics for future episodes.
• 13:47
  Tina: For more educational resources and practical poultry information, visit valleyhatchery.com.
• 13:53
  Tina: Thanks for joining us, and thanks everyone for listening.
• 13:56
  Tina: We'll see you in the next episode.