How to keep chickens off patio?

[buck431397]

I feel lucky that my chickens like me enough not to let me out of their sight and that they want to spend all their time with me. I can tell that all is right with the world by just listening to them.

They let me know what is going on by their constant chatting. There is bawk, bawk. Purrr……peep, peep. And baaaawk… when there is danger!

Get over it! It is not radioactive waste. Healthy chicken poop is the easiest to clean up. What else have you got to do? Intimate contact with your animals is beneficial.

Since my C-birds have been outside all of nature has come to visit me. They watch me too. The neighborhood birds are bringing their babies into my yard for me to watch. I think because they know it is safe. I am now out in the yard more and it makes me happier.

I am willing to put up with a little chicken poop for that honor.

i wholeheartedly agree!!!

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

It's not my chickens that come up to the patio...but the peafowl. They display in front of the patio door and admire themselves - for hours...pooping the entire time. When they get tired they just move to the other side of the house (front porch) and start there - then it's off to the walk out patio and the same routine. I've never fed them there...they just like looking at themselves. They really leave a big mess - I just hose it off and go on to the next thing.

 

[chickensioux]

Would a big rubber snake all coiled up work?

 

[The Zoo]

I have a child gate to keep them off my back porch for now. We're getting the backyard redone (new deck, landscaping etc) and part of that will be to build them into a confined 'chicken run' on the side of the house. After a year of spraying down the poo and watching as they dig up the citrus, I'm ready to have them have their own designated area. Of course we have a small backyard that's patio/deck and planting beds only.

I have found that unless you fence something, they'll find a way into it.

 

[SimplyForties]

LOL, sounds like either we can free-range or the birds can, not both! There is a small creek that runs between my backyard where the birds are and the house and so far it's effectively keeping the birds away from the house. If not, I'd have to fence in a "run" for me so I'd be able to sit outside and not be sitting in chicken poo!

 

[Tala]

I have a similar but more complex problem.

I want to keep the chickens and poo off my back deck, but allow the dog to come and go at will because I know for fact that DH will NOT come outside in his underwear to let her out both the back door and the back deck gate

and then how would she get back in because she usually scratches to door for us to open it and she's stuck out behind the back deck then we'd never hear her.

DH thinks maybe we can rig a back gate with a doggy door set in it that the dog can go in and out and hopefully the chickens won't figure it out. I'm conjuring up ideas for that type of thing so anyone else want to chime in - I'm open for ideas!

 

[Jesus Chick]

Just joined the group because I always seem to get led here when I have a question or problem with my chickens or peafowl. I am having a problem with the poo as well and am going to try making them their own porch. I will let you know if it works.

 

[araceli]

I feel the same concern for this problem. I also have small furry dogs who run out through this porch to go outside and part of my concern is them stepping in the poop and bringing into our home with thier soft furry paws. Also, my chickens had been cleansed of worms a few months ago and my next issue is the invisibe parasitic eggs in the poop. So then if we step in it there is that problem. It's just too much poop! I have finally reached my limit! My 3 year old does not even play outside anymore because they poop everywhere. They own my porch and my yard.

 

[araceli]

I did figure out to not let them out so soon during the heat because there are two choices of shade, my porch and their coop which is just as big. They like a little variety. But if I wait til the sun moves to my porch then let them out it is much better!

 

[Er1710]

Has anyone tried those motion-sensored sprinklers? Some brands advertise that they have a 35 ft. sensor. That is about the length of my patio and might work to keep them off of it.