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Serious poop problem, contemplating chicken run

post #1 of 8
2/3/12 at 12:29pm
Thread Starter 

We have two adorable backyard hens, a sweet, gentle isa brown and a bold brute of a black australorp.

 

(When I've made a few more posts I can put some pictures up.)

 

We have allowed them to free range in our lovely little inner city backyard for six weeks now. We have a range of native and hardy cottage plants and lots of mulch for them to scratch in.

 

The problem is that for a good proportion of the day, they hang around our back door, either anticipating leftovers or desperately wanting to come into the house, and they poop ALL over our back patio. They even poop on our door mat!

 

It's becoming a big problem.

 

My question is, if I confine them to a chook run now after they've tasted relative freedom for the last month or so, how will they react?

 

Alternatively, is there any other solution to the poop problem other than live with it??

 

Thanks!

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post #2 of 8
2/3/12 at 12:41pm
put them in a run for the better part of the day and only give treats there. they'll get over it and be happy with any situation. also, install some sort of gate for your porch or baby gate, too for when they are roaming. good luck!

oops just saw you have a patio. goodness. you might need to portable fence the birds when they roam. we have fencing wherever we want to keep birds out and some still go over.
Edited by nwfl - 2/3/12 at 12:45pm
Scratchin' in white sand
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Scratchin' in white sand
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post #3 of 8
2/3/12 at 2:25pm

Maybe you could put a pretty fence with a gate around the patio to keep them out. Ours come up on out deck and we have the same problem. We are going to cover the rails with chicken wire and add a baby gate so they can't come in there.

http://www.eggzy.net/

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http://www.eggzy.net/

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post #4 of 8
2/3/12 at 2:36pm

You could also cover the area near the door with a tarp, sheet of plastic or piece of cardboard.  It's not as nice an idea as the one that hispoptart had, but is at least functional.

-Pete

 

Chemist + Chickens --> Chicken Nerd

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-Pete

 

Chemist + Chickens --> Chicken Nerd

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post #5 of 8
2/3/12 at 2:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nwfl View Post

put them in a run for the better part of the day and only give treats there. they'll get over it and be happy with any situation. also, install some sort of gate for your porch or baby gate, too for when they are roaming. good luck!
oops just saw you have a patio. goodness. you might need to portable fence the birds when they roam. we have fencing wherever we want to keep birds out and some still go over.


+1. With my first flock, I pretty much let them run wild, until I lost one to a dog attack. Then I started keeping them in the run except when I was going to be outside to watch them, and they got used to it pretty quickly.

Matthew 15:14

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Matthew 15:14

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post #6 of 8
2/3/12 at 10:43pm

Same problem here, but I choose to jsut live with it.  I get to much of a kick watching them in the yard. 

1 Delaware, 2 Black Australorps and 1 EE

Adapt, engineer and overcome
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1 Delaware, 2 Black Australorps and 1 EE

Adapt, engineer and overcome
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post #7 of 8
2/4/12 at 1:11am

 I got tired of the poo on the driveway/porch, so I ran some plastic fence with bamboo poles and zip ties. Sometimes a few still get through at times,but  Jack lets me know(vocal) and I herd them back to the proper area. I got some poo on my porch that is like freaking cement.

 

033.JPG

Nothing Matters Anymore
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Nothing Matters Anymore
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post #8 of 8
2/4/12 at 11:11am
You could get one of those fake owls and put it some where near where they can see it, it just might scare them enough to stay away. That's all I got. Michele

  The only dumb question, is the one not asked. I ask a lot of smart questions. big_smile.png

 

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  The only dumb question, is the one not asked. I ask a lot of smart questions. big_smile.png

 

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