eating my old wood fence :(

[funnyfoshay]

I think my girls are bored. They are pecking at and eating our painted wood fence and garage. They started with small bits just pecking when the ground was covered with snow. Today I noticed that they have done substantial damage to about 10 peices of fencing! This is so destructive and it is going to be expensive particularly if they continue.
I know they are finding some tiny bugs in the bottom of the rotted wood fence but how do I get them to stop ? I have tried to lean some metal fencing up against the wood fence- it might fall on top of them I' am so frustrated with them, but also they shoudn't be eating PAINT !
see photos of the damage and the guilty parties

 

[21hens-incharge]

Give them something else to peck at.

A bale of alfalfa opened and loosely tossed, a cabbage hanging from a tree branch, a squash cut open all these will draw them away from the fence.

Maybe they need fenced away from that area.

 

[funnyfoshay]

okay. do I need to throw something out there everyday for them to "play with" ? and munch on?

 

[SweetTea&Chicks]

I agree with giving them something to peck at. Mine always get occupied with a bale of straw. Cutting open a melon or giving them some ears of corn will keep them happy.

 

[funnyfoshay]

Give them something else to peck at.

A bale of alfalfa opened and loosely tossed, a cabbage hanging from a tree branch, a squash cut open all these will draw them away from the fence.

Maybe they need fenced away from that area.

I had fence to they hop over it. My 2 EE are quite flighty and now they all have mastered hopping a 4" fence. I think I just have too many girls in a small yard... iits a long story but we were sent an extra order of chicks. no one will take a few off my hands. they are laying great.

 

[21hens-incharge]

okay. do I need to throw something out there everyday for them to "play with" ? and munch on?

The alfalfa should keep them quite busy for a week. It will go longer if you toss a handful of scratch on top every morning. Then they have to work for it.
Cabbage head should last at least 3 days depending on number of birds maybe longer.
I have 20 and it takes mine 3 days.

 

[Mrs. K]

Could the paint have lead in it? Lead can be addicting, and it accumulates in the body. Might be worth checking into.

Mrs K

ps. if the paint is older than 1978, could definitely have lead in it, and if it is exterior paint it could have a higher level of lead.

 

[funnyfoshay]

Could the paint have lead in it? Lead can be addicting, and it accumulates in the body. Might be worth checking into.

Mrs K

ps. if the paint is older than 1978, could definitely have lead in it, and if it is exterior paint it could have a higher level of lead.

AHHHH!!!

 

[Mrs. K]

and you might not want to eat the eggs until you find out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mine were picking at the paint on their coop so I put up some metal fencing like you did, along with some chicken wire. They've left it alone after that but I won't be able to repaint until weather warms up and dries off.

I currently have a run full of snow so to keep them busy plus give them a bit of dry ground to walk on I dumped 2 bags of dried leaves in there plus some cauliflower and carrot trimmings.