Well if you didn’t want to wire (aprox6”) so they couldn’t stick their heads through it. Put something against the house. Pavers, plywood, cut firewood. Anything that’s Peck safe.
They will eat it all, they love pecking foam.
You are going to have to cover it up soon. I would advise tin roofing tacked over it.
They will still peck at it thru wire, what ever they can reach.
my original chickens,6 are still around, discovered that pecking my shingles was alot of fun. it was on my deck so i was limited to what i could block them with. they would figure out a way to get at it everytime. so i just gave up. if im outside ill spray them with a water bottle, but otherwise, i ignore there pecking. even my pitbull, a sad looking little girl whenever the chickens decide they want to hang out with her, doesnt bother them at all. thankfully my newer chickens dont find it as much fun.
That's a relatively short distance between the siding and the ground. Have you considered installing cultured stone there? It would look great and it isn't hard to do. You could even install the air stone they sell at Lowe's. You just glue it on the wall and it's easy to cut with a circular saw with a diamond blade. You'd use something like PL 3X adhesive which is waterproof.
It might be worth a good long look at your house, to be sure that there are not bugs that might be the draw. Such as termites, or ants. If not, they it seems covering the area with something might be the best solution. Paving stones or bricks or large river rocks may be a more attractive solution than wire. Just insure that they cannot fall and crush a chicken. They may be using the stucco as grit, too. Make sure they have a good supply of grit to draw them away from the house.
Is that insulation or cement? If its cement they may be craving calcium. Keep a pan of crushed oyster shell out for them. But chickens will be chickens. Best to cover it up because they will continue to peck at it. Their funny that way.