Will chickens eat the bark around the tree?

[sandy sea]

I just saw two chickens picking at the bark of one of my trees. I planted the tree last year, and just noticed that it is not doing very well. At closer inspection I saw that the tree had it's bark completly picked off about 3 inches from the bottom. Could the chicken have eaten the bark completly off around the trunk? The tree is missing about 2 inched of trunk all the way around the tree.

 

[annek]

I have never seen my chickens eat bark, but with their appetites, if there wasn't anything else around I am sure they would. Is it at the height of their beaks? Use some wire fencing and put it around the tree, if it is them it will keep them from stripping it. If the bark has been removed all the way around, you may lose the tree.

 

[Renee]

Hmmm, let's look at the facts:

Chickens caught red-handed eating bark on tree.
Two inches of bark missing from tree, girdling said tree.
Tree ailing from girdling.

Unless you have porcupines in your neck of the woods, I would say you have a couple of rare Beaverhens.

Have you noticed them building their own coop with downed lumber? I'd keep an eye on them before this gets out of hand.


But seriously, if they have removed the bark all the way around the tree (girdling) it will die.

 

[sandy sea]

Renee, Very funny. Made me laugh.