Chickens eating the walls!!! Help!

[SwedishDude99]

Hi everyone. So my chickens just started to peck holes in the walls of their coop! I have been boarding the holes up, but it seems like there are two more holes for every hole I board up! Has anyone ever had this problem? Is there some kind of spray that tastes bad that I can spray the walls with? Any suggestions would be great! thanks!!!

 

[NEChickenNoob]

Mustard. Chickens hate mustard. What is your coop made of? Maybe they just need some fiber in their diet

. Sorry bad joke, couldn't resist.

 

[SwedishDude99]

The coop is made of wood. So it isn't very hard for them to peck right through it.

 

[NEChickenNoob]

You can try a harder wood if you can't correct the behaviour. I suspect SPF (Spruce/Pine/Fir) plywood is what they are pecking through. Oaks and similar woods are much harder. Wood is measured on a Janka Scale (see link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janka_hardness_test ) The higher the scale the harder it is for them to peck thru. Don't use Walnut (especially with shavings), it has a toxin (juglone) that is harmful to plants, animals and people. It's only harmful if inhaled or prolonged contact.

 

[Fishslayer]

screw some thin gauge sheet metal to the coop?, at least to the level where they are pecking at. i would also check your coop for termites or ants. my guess is they are finding something in the wood that they like.