Free range but 'keep off deck!'

[mopedmolly]

Hi all! First post for me. Apologies if thread somewhere else--
14 wk old 6 chickens
We let them out of coop/run area during most days--but they like getting on our deck. It's nice they like to be around us, but it is making quite the mess! We have small children and would like to keep our deck for humans only.
Any suggestions, other than fencing, for chicken deterrent?
Thanks!

 

[lazy gardener]

I have a deck that is about 6' high, so added benefit of a set of stairs, which they like to climb. When ever I see a chicken on my steps, i toss a cup or pail full of water in their general direction. Seems to be a great discouragement!

 

[vehve]

I find that water and a brush gets the poop away. How you get the chickens away, no idea.

But I feel your pain.

 

[ShockValue]

We have a deck that is up up 15+ vertical feet of stairs. If I forget to "shut the gate" at the bottom step, they love to hang out there all day and create quite a slippery mess.

And so far "the gate" is nothing but a tangled up ball of old chicken wire that sits on the bottom step.

Luckily for us we have a good choke point to keep them down, but if the deck was wide open? No idea...

 

[mopedmolly]

Whoops! I guess I didn't understand Ovations--sorry!
The water idea made me think about putting a mister/sprinkler around perimeter! Maybe once I get my flower beds in order it would help irrigate too. Our deck is wide open...thanks!

 

[Blammmo]

How bout a broom and someone to swing it

 

[lazy gardener]

That would be an endless task, but a great way to build upper body strength!!!

 

[vehve]

This won't keep them away from the deck, but helps with the cleaning. We just re-stained our deck a few days ago. I put down two coats of oil, and it really has made cleaning up their lovely deposits from the wood a lot easier. They just rinse off. Also, I've started using a spray bottle to disencourage them from coming on the deck. I don't know if it really helps, but it makes for fun target practice. Makes you feel like a cowboy when doing that quick draw. Maybe they've been on the deck a bit less too.