Well, we came up with something a little different.  I had some bird netting that I used in the spring to cover the garden.   They 6 hens were doing a good poop deposit on my patio and I was tired of it.   The patio is covered so we hung the bird netting from the roof.  It didn't quite cover the width, which was good, I do have to go through there several time a day.  For the remaining 5-6 feet I moved 4 big planters into the gap, 2 on one end an 2 on the other.  A doggie/child gate that I can easily get through is propped between the planters.  It keeps them off the covered part of the patio anyway.
	
		
			
		
		
	
				
			
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	