Chickens Eating Bark Off Juvenile Tree

[darkshire]

I have a mixed flock of about 5 hens in my backyard, and recently while watering my trees, I noticed my girls pecking at the bark of a Juvenile Loquat Tree in my backyard. The tree itself is potted, and the Loquat fruit is a rather East Asian fruit, so it's pretty uncommon here in the United States, but the fruit is delicious, so we have some in out backyard.

Nonetheless, they have clean pecked off ALL of the bark off of the tree, from the base, up to about a foot off the top of the pot (the tree is potted, we would have moved it later). Now, because the tree is girdled, it's gonna die soon, but I was wondering why my girls would even peck at the bark. Is it because the bark of a growing tree is rich and full of nutrients?

But I would love to know why because I want to avoid more dead trees in the future.

It's about 8:45 PM right now, but I'll add a photo in the morning.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Why? Because chickens will eat a lot of different plants as they forage.

I've had to completely encase my elderberry plants BEFORE there was any idea of berries as the girls would completely strip the little sapling plants.

Chickens are hard on gardens. It is a fact.

Bird netting becomes your friend. That and gates.

LofMc