Winter Mental Enrichment for Your Flock
This quote has many variants and has been defined by countless contexts, from books to films to scripture and all the way into the back woods with wisdom shared between generations. Whatever version you may have heard, it also rings true with the animals on our farms, including chickens.
The winter can be an especially boring time for your chickens – they spend more time in the coop and have access to far less natural forage. Egg Brigade Black Soldier Fly Larvae can play a crucial role in your efforts to keep your chickens entertained and healthy during the winter. This is known as enrichment.
Most of us know that when certain dog breeds do not have a mentally stimulating job to do, unwanted behaviors may surface. This applies to chickens as well and can manifest as egg eating, feather pecking, aggression, and depression, resulting in lower egg production.
Enrichment is vital for your chickens’ well-being and health. It helps create well-adjusted, confident, and calm birds that are ready to jump into Spring with vigor. Using Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) to deliver this enrichment provides both physical and intellectual benefits to your flock, as bored chickens are more aggressive and susceptible to illnesses.
ENABLING ENRICHMENT THROUGH HIGH VALUE TREATS
The first order of business is to establish the BSFL as a high value treat for your poultry. BSFL are perfectly suited as a nutrient rich supplement for inclusion in their daily dietary plan, and you can use them as a high value treat at the same time. Simply hand feed the larvae in a controlled manner and let nature take its course. If you provide an audible stimulus while handfeeding, this will help associate those yummies with the good times the to come.
Popular terms are some variant of “chickie chickie chickie”, “tookie tookie tookie” and “Ow, stop pecking me-“ the latter being a strong indicator of a bored chicken.
TOYS
Next, incorporate the BSFL into problem sets. There are abundant readymade options for purchase. For the DIY crowd, you can create interesting opportunities for one or two birds very easily. For example, place a small ball of bundled straw with BSFL inside. Or, remove the core from a head of cabbage and insert the BSFL in the cavity and between the leaves. Then, hang it from a string, poking holes in a plastic jar and filling it with BSFL. For a whole flock, ease a bail of straw slightly apart like an accordion, insert BSFL in the cleats of the “bellows”, mash the bail back together and set in the middle of your run. Sprinkle a few BSFL on top, uttering your audible queue “tookie tookie tookie” and enjoy the show.
The intent is to provide an activity the promotes natural hunting/foraging behaviors. BSFL from Egg Brigade not only mimic free-range grains for stimulus, but do so in a sustainable manner. These enrichment events can be initiated regardless the environmental conditions.
BSFL from Egg Brigade are an excellent source of protein, fats and essential minerals harvested in the United States under strict quality-controlled environments. Available as a single purchase or ongoing subscription, we offer 1lb, 2lb, 5lb and 10lb options to accommodate any short / long term diet plan, as well as any contingency preparations or wintertime needs.
We would love to see what Winter DIY ideas you come up with using BSFL as an enabler of a sound chicken mind. Let us know in the comments below.
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