Planning something special for your hens this Christmas? Why not treat them to a festive wreath that is packed with yummy vegetables. The perfect treat for them to indulge in! And its simple to make, just follow the easy steps and voila! Happy hens all round.
To make a festive wreath for your hens you’ll need:
- A ring of some sort to support the veg
- Sticks/Branches: Preferably Willow, Birch or Cornus
- Wire, to attach the veg to the ring – We’ve used thick plastic-coated wire so that there are no sharp points
- A knife to cut up the veg
- Wire cutters
- A skewer
- Scissors
- A mallet
- A white and red cabbage
- Corn on the Cob
- Brussel sprouts
- Kale
Step One
Start by making a ring from thin branches. In the picture, birch is used which is bound together with string to make a ring. Willow or Cornus are also good to use for this as they’re fairly flexible too. Grip the branches together then tie in place with strong twine. Don’t worry if a few branches stick out a little at both ends. This makes a decorative top to the wreath.
Step Two
Cut the white and red cabbage into four equal pieces each and use a skewer to make a hole through the cabbage near the thicker stalk part. If the skewer is difficult to push through a mallet is useful to make the hole.
Step Three
With the hole going all the way through each piece of cabbage, cut some wire and thread this through and then attach each piece to the wreath alternating the white and red cabbage pieces. Make sure you’ve cut the wire long enough so that you can twist the wire a few times to hold the cabbage pieces to the ring.
Step Four
The Corn on the Cob is best bought in pre-cut pieces. Using the skewer make a hole through the centre of the corn on the cob and feed the wire through each piece. Do this for all four pieces and attach to the ring.
Step Five
Make three Brussels sprouts ‘necklaces’ by making a hole through each sprout and threading wire through all five sprouts. Three of these is the perfect number to fix to the wreath, but that depends on the size of the ring you make.
Step Six
Wrap some kale leaves in the string and attach them to the wreath. You can also use some moss to fill in any small gaps. The amount of veg used depends on the size of your wreath. Adjust the quantity for a smaller or larger ring, and if there are any leftovers your hens will happily eat them!
Step Seven
The wreath is then hung for the hens to enjoy! You can use a hook so that the wreath will move around as your hens peck away at the veg giving more interest – a great boredom buster and full of goodness! Just remember to give them the wreath for short periods as a treat so they don’t overeat the sprouts … you know how we all love them, hens included! 😉
