How do I keep the girls off the porch?

[hstrand]

We have 2 hens who love to roam the yard during the day but I'm fed up with the poop on the porch! They love looking in the window to see what we're up to. Does anyone have a method to keep them off that won't interfere with our using the steps (like fencing would)? Is there anything that chickens are afraid of and will not step over? Thanks - new chicken owner!

 

[bantymum]

Mine did exactly the same, so I had to move their feed further away from us and stopped throwing scraps out the back door to them. But if they realy like peoplewatching theres nothing I can think of, except have a bowl of water and a little broom for the mess just outside the door which is also what i have!! gotta luv em!

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

A water hose and keeping the porch wet worked great for me! Mine were always coming up on the porch... 20+ of them and it drove me crazy... and like you trying to walk down the stairs was terrible! So.... I started soaking the porch and at times got them wet (it was hot out), not spraying directly at them... but getting them wet from spraying down at the porch... Now I really don't have a problem and when they hear the water hose coming on they RUN... it doesn't matter where they are, they will run towards the coop that is over 100 feet away. Good Luck and hope you find a solution.

 

[ruth]

Because mine started out on our back deck in their Chick-N-Hutch and I would let them out and give them treats they used to return to the deck looking for same. I learned that I had to feed them only in their run. Now they still come on the back deck occcasionally and look in the windows but I never feed them there anymore. I'll go out with my bag of treats and make them follow me to the run.

 

[arlee453]

We used to have this shock mat that my MIL put on her car to keep the cats off the hood. It gave a VERY mild shock - just enough to startle the animal and encourage it to stay away.

I'm thinking it was called a 'scat mat' and came in several sizes. I'm not a chicken expert, but maybe something like that would work?

You could block off access to the porch temporarily and lay the mat across where they would come up - a couple 'reminders' and they won't come up anymore, I'd think. Chickens aren't know for their super intelligence, but I'm thinking they aren't THAT stupid.

I know when my MIL used it, she finally got to the point that she could just lay a old welcome mat up there and it would be enough to deter the cats - anything looking remotely like that scat mat would keep them away.

Does anyone have any experience with these types of mats and chickens??

Ahha - found it - it was a scat mat. They make one that's a 3" strip as well as other sizes... http://www.safepetproducts.com/pilot.asp?pg=scatmat&gclid=CJ7Hw8XOzo4CFReQGgodQjpzAA

A bit pricey, but if you are really wanting them off the porch it just might be the thing.

Susan

 

[CarriBrown]

I found the dog food and water was attracting mine. They would be all over the patio, hanging out by the "water cooler"!! I moved the dog water and now the chickens don't hang up there as much.
Is there something (besides the window) that is attracting them? Maybe the cool cement?

 

[banditgin]

we have that problem too. they can't see in from the porch - the windows are a little too high. though I think they are coming up less and less. It annoys my DH. I sweep whenever I can. I need to use the hose on it more often.

For ours, I think its because it was the first place we had their crate and it provided some shade.

 

[joanm]

My patio is their favorite place to hang out! I’ve tried spraying them with the water hose and chasing them off with the broom – It still doesn’t stop them!

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

It's getting close to Halloween....I wonder if one of the animated characters would do it??? Some of them are motion sensored!