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Rant: I thought putting a mirror in the coop was a silly idea until my hens proved me wrong
For months, my three Rhode Island Reds seemed a bit bored, just pecking around without much spark. My friend in Portland told me to try a simple mirror, saying it would keep them busy. I laughed it off, thinking it was just a weird pet store trick. But after a slow molt last fall, I grabbed a cheap $5 mirror from a garage sale and hung it low in their run. The change was instant. My lead hen, Bertha, spent a full hour chattering at her reflection, bobbing her head and doing little dances. Now they all take turns, and it's cut down on their feather picking a ton. Who knew such a simple thing could work so well? Has anyone else tried something they thought was nonsense that actually helped their flock?
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spencerh955mo ago
Yeah mirrors can backfire like chen.jade said, gotta watch for that.
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chen.jade5mo ago
That's interesting it worked for you. Honestly, mirrors stress my birds out. Tried one a few years back and my barred rock got so fixated she stopped eating properly, just kept fighting her reflection all day. Had to take it out. Sometimes simple boredom busters like hanging a cabbage or a pile of leaves to scratch in work better without that weird competitive vibe.
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