In a land far, far away there are ponies who ride bicycles, cats who carry briefcases and chickens that play on swings.
Again. I kindda feel it's necessary to reiterate ... that land is far FAR away. Like, super-far. End of a black hole far.
Some time around Christmas a reader told me she'd like to send me a present. Well, not me actually, my chickens. She'd seen a Chicken Swing for sale and was dying to know if chickens were really swingers.
Well according to the website for The Chicken Swing, they are indeed the swingiest of the swingers. Swaying to and fro on their chicken swing. Here's their video proof.
The swing isn't only for the chicken owner's amusement, chickens get bored, especially in the winter and they like to have things to do. That's partly why they scratch around in the dirt so much. It's entertainment for them. The chicken swing is supposed to help combat coop boredom.
According to the manufacturer it's easiest to teach a young chicken new tricks so I started with the youngest chickens I have and worked my way up to the older ones.
This was going to be very easy because I follow instructions well and I'm very smart and I have a blog that shows people how to do stuff. So. Easy.
This is how it went for me.
Walk over to the swing with the tiny chicken and ...
... gently place the chicken on the swing while holding the swing steady.
Watch as chicken immediately jumps away and off of the swing without so much as the stink eye.
The little ones might just be a bit scatter brained so I head over to Sweetie. My 2 ½ month old hen who is terrified of air, let alone a swinging, swaying artificial cob of corn.
Sweetie jumped away so fast there isn't even photographic evidence of it. Ditto for Cheez Whiz and Josephine.
That left Mabel who is pretty chill. The second I got near the swing with her, Mabel started back peddling into my underarm. I calmed her down, talked to her soothingly then slowlyyyyy moved her in the general vicinity of the swing.
At which point she flailed like a banshee, scrambled up my legs and ran under a tree.
So that's how that went.
Here it is in video.
I kindda knew this is how it was going to play out. A chicken isn't likely to just jump up on a swing and start whipping back and forth any more than a cat is liable to pick up a briefcase and walk out the door. So I went to the website, read all their tips on how to get a chicken to use the swing AND looked up the Chicken Swing reviews on Amazon. It turns out the swing gets GREAT reviews and you just have to be patient. Even then all your chickens might not use it but the adventurous ones seem to and they apparently genuinely like it.
I figured when I first saw chickens swinging that they only swung back and forth like lunatics because they were too afraid to jump off. Again, according to the Amazon reviews this doesn't seem to be the case. Chickens are swingers. Willingly.
I'm going to leave the swing in the coop and go through allll the steps outlined on the Fowl Play website very slowly to get the chickens used to it.
I will let you know when my chickens are officially swingers. Since they don't drive, I'm not sure how we're going to have the key party, but we'll figure it out.
Click here if you wanna buy The Chicken Swing!
Mel Robicheau
Heh. A chicken swing.
So many flies in that video. Did your wasps not do their job?
Karen
Oh that's nothing, lol. On a normal hot summer day there'd literally be a swarm of them when you walked in the coop. The flies have been cut way way down from the parasitic wasps. Plus I have a fly trap (which I keep forgetting to bait). I'm quite satisfied with the wasps. :) ~ karen!
Gramma Carol
My grandaughter has taught her chickens to swing. I think part of your problem is the yellow plastic swing...too foreign to them. Kam uses a stick between two pieces of baling twine. js
Ev Wilcox
I still have the smile on my face! Good luck with it. I am wondering if their egg laying has been set back or maybe they will lay like crazy, as in having it scared out of them! The vids of the professional swingers were cool, but not nearly as entertaining!
Ann
I think I told you this before. Out of 14 chickens, only 1 has ever gotten on our chicken swing. And that is rare and she only stays a few minutes at best. The rest totally ignore it and have now for over 2 years.
My chickens fav toys are just stumps from a tree our neighbor cut down. I dragged 3 irregular shaped blocks home and put them in the coop. They hop up and sit, jump from stump to stump and sometimes just stand and peck at them. Another great toy for chickens supposedly is a mirror. I keep hoping to find a decent sized one in a plastic type frame at a charity or thrift store that I can buy for them and hang in their run. I have a metal mesh ball meant to be a squirrel feeder. They love that filled with sunflower seeds. But it is more than just the seeds they love. If it hangs down loose enough, they almost treat it like a tether ball.
Brenda
Oh ya - maybe that carnival mirror that makes them look fat would be most fun for them!
KariMcD
try Duck tape...it fixes everything.
Sandi Remedios
That comment made me laugh out loud. Seriously!
Mary W
maybe Chick tape.
Cathy
Once it's been there awhile, and not going away, I think a couple of them may give it a go.
It's like the monolith in the film 2001 A Space Odessey; the apes finally ignored it, then beat the crap out of it. Now, if your poultry pick up sticks ( or straw, or feces ) you may want to get that on video. Hell, they're probably already swinging on it at night then they're all like..." Cool it, here she comes--quick, act like chickens again!"
Marna
LOL so funny! Love the music! Maybe if you do leave it for a bit, how about lowering it some
too? Please let us know if they ever do get use to it. Just so funny! :)
Alexandra
This video is the best thing I've seen in at least a week - and I saw the GIF of a chihuahua dressed as a Roman centurion, in a chariot pulled by a dachshund, so that's saying something.
I like the video, because I never realised how big your chickens are, and how fluffy! Also, Josephine is a beauty (I'm thinking it's Josephine, from the coppery flash on the feathers when she walks away), and that last pic of you and Mabel is the best thing ever.
Karen
Yes, Josephine does have a coppery flash and she is quite beautiful. So is Mabel. And Sweetie is well ... pretty darn cute. ~ karen!
Sherry in Alaska
Well. As my cat went out the door with his briefcase tucked underneath his arm.... He shook his head and said,
"Chickens are Not swingers.
Swingers they are not.
Neither will they ever be.
They do not fly, they do not care.
For swinging they have no flair."
Pam
HA!! I love it!!!
Sande
What fun! Such a perfect little video with such a great ensemble...it seems you & your chickens have a way of bringing out the best in each other.
And I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that YOU were my favorite.
Karen
Ha! Me and my horrible lime green chicken coop Crocs, lol. Thx Sande! ~ karen!
Paula
Lol. They doth protest.
Kathleen
Excellent music track for the video. Thanks for an early morning chuckle. So after the swing is a jungle gym next on the cards? :)
Auntiepatch
I don't know anything about chickens but I think I would start with the swing touching the ground. After they get used to it in the pen raise it up just above the ground. Then raise it up again so that they get used to it a little at a time. Slow and steady......
Mary W
I was going to say I would put in on the ground until they got used to it, also. When I introduce a new toy to my cats or the budgie, I leave it next to the cage or food bowl for a few days until they see it isn't going to "get them".
Wendi Miller
OMG, how fun!!! I sure hope you have some adventurous chickens who will eventually use it. I'd love to see that video!
One suggestion though: Let me preface this comment with the fact that I'm not a chicken owner, so I may be completely wrong about how chickens react to things. I noticed in the company's video that when a chicken jumps off the swing, the swing goes FLYING. I'm thinking you might want to raise the swing so that if an adventurous chicken decides to give it a try, she doesn't get whacked in the head when the swing comes back at her. If chickens are anything like ME (and I think they just might be), getting knocked on the noggin might dissuade them from trying again...or from even walking near the damn thing lolol
Keep us updated on the chicken swing progress, what fun idea!
Dale
Maybe put a monitor up in the chicken pen so they can see the chickens of Amazon having such fun they will hop on out of swing envy. Hey, if she can do it, I can too!!!
Good luck with that.
Or tape some kernels of corn onto the swing. It may get them up there to check it out.
Or put a swing in the chicken pen for you. You give your chickens a ride on the swing while on your lap. They'll get accustomed to the centrifugal force.
I taught freshmen boys for 40 years. I've learned patience is a virtue.
j
OK, so you are really funny, and I just betcha that sooner than later you'll look out at the coop to see one of your chicks swinging away with a look of glassy eyed contentment, smoking a cigarette.
Susan Alexander
Friggin' hysterical, and why we all love you!
I'd do the same thing. IF I had chickens...I'd definitely buy a chicken swing.
Heck, last week I bought a $250 steel drum, and I don't play a lick.
I thought for SURE we'd see you sitting on the swing to illustrate, to your chickens, exactly what you wanted them to do.
It's 11:15 pm here, and I'm FOTFLMAO...which spell check is telling me is not a word.
Right. What do they know? Bet, they don't have a chicken swing...or a steel drum.
MaryJo
Laughing till tears came rolling down my cheeks!!
Jane S
OMG. I went to the website and didn't even look at the swing. I was mesmerized by the chicken harnesses. Do people really take their chickens for a walk? And chicken bracelets! It's as bad as doggy dresses.
Alisa
I'd take mine for a walk...except I'd be too afraid of dogs attacking her!
Kathie Ball
LOL...Oh my goodness, I was laughing out loud, my dogs think I am nuts. ..I loved the music you picked for the video.
I can't wait to see your progress...I have been wondering how they knew to swing, you know was it natural or did you have to teach them.