Sunflower Stalk Damage

[phryan]

A few days ago I let my flock into a patch of sunflowers, the sunflowers (mammoth) were 4-5 ft tall at the time and figured they were tall enough to be safe and the chickens would enjoy eating the weeds and shade underneath. This morning I noticed that the chickens must have been pecking at the stems and although the sunflowers look healthy some of the stalks have lost about 1/4 inch deep all they way around up to about 4" from the ground.

Other than kicking out the chickens is there anything that can be done to help the sunflowers out? I thought about burying the stems like a tomato but figured that may kill rather than help them.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Surround the lower part with a some sort od container with a hole cut out of the bottom and a slit in the side to put it over the stalk. Not beautiful but you don't have to kick the chickens out or lose the flowers.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Oh , after thought. You could always paint pretty designs on the container .

 

[phryan]

Thanks for the suggestion. I thought about protecting them somehow but there are too many, lesson learned for next year though. Meanwhile the chickens are back in their normal pasture and hopefully can enjoy some seed later in the fall.