Fall Chicken Care: Fun & Safe Ways to Celebrate Spooky Season
In this blog, our EGGsperts will share their tips (no tricks!) for turning your coop into the ultimate haunted henhouse, treating your flock with festive fall snacks, and even DIY’ing a few feather-friendly chicken costumes! Let’s go, ghouls! 👻
1. Decorating Your Chicken Coop for Halloween
Get into the spirit! Transform your chicken coop into a haunted haven using non-toxic, compostable, and biodegradable materials - safe, sustainable, and spooky! 🖤🧡
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Got Cobwebs? Next time you clean your chicken coop, skip the corners and let the spiders do the decorating! Real cobwebs are creepy, and spiders help control pests in the coop. 🕸
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Rustic Fall Decor Bundle dried cornstalks or old sunflower stems together, or stack hay bales around the coop for that classic harvest look. As a bonus, remove the strings from the hay bales and drop in some treats - chickens love to dig through and distribute hay!
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Leafy Garland Thread colorful fall leaves onto twine to create a natural, biodegradable garland for your coop’s entrance. Make it extra spooky by cutting bats, ghosts, and other fun shapes out of the leaves. 🍁🦇
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Nature's Sculpture Have you ever come across a dry animal skull or bone on your property and saved it for educational purposes or to display? Spooky and fascinating! ☠️
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Creepy Collage Decorate a fallen tree branch or non-toxic wreath with leaves, dried or fresh flowers or grasses, feathers, or any other natural materials you can gather. Make sure any plants used are safe for your chickens to eat!
⚠️ Safety First! Avoid glitter, paint, or anything with glue — curious hens love to peck, and these can be toxic. For hanging or securing decorations, use only natural, 100% cotton string, jute, or hemp twine. And never place string within reach - chickens should never play with or eat string of any kind. Make sure ALL plants and flowers are safe to peck before using them as decor!
2. Having Fun with Pumpkins
🎃 No Knives Required: Let your flock create their very own perfectly imperfect jack-o’-lantern! Scratch the surface of the pumpkin to get them started and then stand back and watch your artists create an enriching and nutritious Halloween masterpiece!
🎃 A RentACoop Tradition: We love to be creative on the RentACoop farm, and one of our favorite fall traditions is making chicken feeders and waterers out of pumpkins.
✋ Disclaimer: This DIY project is just for fun! Be sure to take photos so your creations will last longer! 📸
🛠️ For the feeder, use a hole-saw or a knife to create one or more openings in the pumpkin, and insert our Large or Medium Feed Ports. For the waterer, drill one or more 9/16” holes into a large, hollowed-out pumpkin and insert our Auto-Fill Cups or Horizontal Nipples. Fill with feed and water and treat your flock to a feeder they can eat!
⚠️ The pumpkin feeder and waterer should be removed within a few days, before the pumpkin begins to decay. Or you can split them open right away (after you’ve had your fun) and let your flock enjoy! You can also cut the hollowed-out pumpkins in half and use them as natural bowls for feed or water. Either way, remember that these pumpkin feeders are temporary and must be removed, or served as a snack, before they are no longer fresh.
3. Healthy Halloween Snacks for Your Chickens
Of course chickens love Halloween-themed chicken treats. Chickens love treats! Here are some safe Halloween snack ideas for chickens:
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Pumpkins and Gourds – raw, cooked, cut, or whole, seeds and all! 🎃
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Apples – remove seeds. 🍎
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Corn – even colorful flint or Indian corn - just make sure it’s not preserved or painted. 🌽
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Cranberries and mulberries – unsweetened. Yum! 😋
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Bugs – treat them to dried black soldier fly larvae or live grubs. 🐛
💡 If you’re feeling creative, try these healthy snack recipes for your flock:
👹 Monster Mash: Combine mashed pumpkin, oats, and sunflower seeds for a vitamin-rich fall feast.
🐛 Witch’s Cauldron: Fill a carved pumpkin “bowl” with mealworms or black soldier fly larvae for a spooky surprise.
💡 Or try the tasty, classic Halloween game of bobbing for apples - chicken edition.
🍎🍏 Slice a few apples (remove the seeds) and float them in a pan of shallow water for an interactive snack!
🚫 AVOID: candy, chocolate, onions, avocado, nightshades, salty foods, and sugary snacks — all are unsafe for chickens. Always check with your poultry veterinarian or local poultry specialist if you are unsure about a food or plant.
4. DIY Chicken Halloween Costume Ideas
Halloween is the perfect time to play dress up with your chickens!
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Batty Biddy: Soft felt bat wings attached to a comfortable harness with Velcro. 🦇
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Pumpkin Puff: A loose orange vest (made of cotton or felt) with green felt leaves on top. 🎃
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Chick Witch or Wizard: A lightweight cape made from soft fabric that can slip off easily. Add a hat if your chicken will tolerate it. 🧙
⚠️ Safety first! Costumes should always be lightweight, breathable, and non-restrictive. Keep costumes on only long enough for photos. Avoid elastic bands, glue, or anything that can tangle feathers. Always supervise your chickens while playing dress up!
5. Halloween Safety Guidelines for Chickens
Make sure it's all fun and games, period.
⚠️ Avoid loud sounds that can startle your flock — keep loud music and motion-sensor props away from the coop.
⚠️ Use only natural lighting - solar lanterns are a great option.
⚠️ Secure decorations safely and keep any string used out of pecking reach.
⚠️ Remove pumpkins and any uneaten snacks before they rot.
⚠️ Always supervise your flock when costumes or other new items are introduced.
With natural materials, safe snacks, and a dash of creativity, your coop will be the spookiest Chick or Treat spot on the block! 👻
While you are here be sure to check out our other flock enrichment products and other essentials.
Best Witches! 🧹
~ The RentACoop Team