I have a forsythia bush in my run. The chickens love its leaves, and over the summer ate all that they could reach, but left the rest of the bush alone - no digging at the roots or anything. It has plenty more leaves to live off of so I wasn’t worried. However, now that the bush doesn’t have leaves anymore, the chickens have started peeling and eating its bark 
They have stripped one of the main stems and several branches. I did not expect that! They have crumble available at all times, I give them some sunflower seeds daily, and the occasional treat of scratch or mealworms. They decidedly do not like greens - spinach, lettuce etc. - and are generally very picky with food, so I don’t know what it is that they’re looking for with the bark and how to supplement their diet with it so they don’t need to peel my poor bush. They have a very large run for the number of chickens (20 square feet per bird) and things to climb on and do in it, so I don’t think they’re bored...? They don’t act like it - no pecking or feather pulling, and they always look like they’re busy with something.
I don’t know what to think or do, and I’m worried about the bush. Should I tape something around the stems/branches? There are a lot of them, so that would be quite the project. I don’t want to fence it off either, because it’s a key enrichment item in the run and the chickens love walking under it, using it as cover, or just lying down sunbathing under it.
They have stripped one of the main stems and several branches. I did not expect that! They have crumble available at all times, I give them some sunflower seeds daily, and the occasional treat of scratch or mealworms. They decidedly do not like greens - spinach, lettuce etc. - and are generally very picky with food, so I don’t know what it is that they’re looking for with the bark and how to supplement their diet with it so they don’t need to peel my poor bush. They have a very large run for the number of chickens (20 square feet per bird) and things to climb on and do in it, so I don’t think they’re bored...? They don’t act like it - no pecking or feather pulling, and they always look like they’re busy with something.I don’t know what to think or do, and I’m worried about the bush. Should I tape something around the stems/branches? There are a lot of them, so that would be quite the project. I don’t want to fence it off either, because it’s a key enrichment item in the run and the chickens love walking under it, using it as cover, or just lying down sunbathing under it.
