Keeping Chickens Away From Child's Play Area

[ARM5078]

We are in the process of building a coop for 6 chickens. We plan to let them free range much of the day in our large fenced (split rail) yard. It was brought to my attention that the chickens may want to spend a bunch of time in my daughter's play area and will poop all over it. Is there anything I can do to prevent them from loitering there? Would a short gate help? Something I can throw down in the mulch that will deter them?

 

[centrarchid]

We are in the process of building a coop for 6 chickens. We plan to let them free range much of the day in our large fenced (split rail) yard. It was brought to my attention that the chickens may want to spend a bunch of time in my daughter's play area and will poop all over it. Is there anything I can do to prevent them from loitering there? Would a short gate help? Something I can throw down in the mulch that will deter them?

Without seeing your situation, I would consider using deer netting as a barrier to keep the chickens out.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Only fencing will work for this! Having a safe coop and covered run is best for your birds, and then free ranging is a bonus, maybe daily, maybe not.
My birds are fenced out of our back yard, where the dogs are, and they run around outside of that area. They rearrange the mulch in the planting beds, and do poop everywhere they go.
Barefoot outside? Not us!
Smaller birds like bantams do have smaller poop, and smaller eggs, and are something to consider too. I love mine!
Mary

 

[MickWithChicks]

Agreed. Chickens will go anywhere they have access. Without seeing the space, fencing, netting or a really big moat are the only way you'll keep the chickens from the play area.

 

[NatJ]

Fencing, yes.

You can use something like chicken wire or bird netting, because it just needs to keep chickens out. (Neither of those works for building a predator-proof fence for a run, but either is fine for just containing chickens.)

How tall the fence needs to be will be determined by how high the chickens fly, whether they want to go over, and partly by whether there is a board on the top of the fence--a chicken might fly up to sit on the board, and later come down inside the play area, but it might not think to just fly right over if the board is not there. (Not universally true, just a general tendency of chickens.)

 

[ARM5078]

Thanks everyone for the replies! It's something I didn't even think of. I might just have to see what happens and go from there. This isn't a very good picture but shows the area. We wanted them to free range because we're hoping they help with ticks.

 

[Khaki mama]

Fencing will defiantly be the best choice. But just to keep them from wanting to fly over it you can also put a treat like mealworms or one of those scratch blocks away from it so that they will detor them from the play area.

 

[neo71665]

My experience with chickens is anywhere you do not want them is the exact spot they all just have to be. I'll tell ya cattle are even worse.

 

[Acre4Me]

Thanks everyone for the replies! It's something I didn't even think of. I might just have to see what happens and go from there. This isn't a very good picture but shows the area. We wanted them to free range because we're hoping they help with ticks.

all I see is great perches for the birds, and nice shady areas!! Yup, they’ll poop there.

 

[Folly's place]

That looks like ideal chicken habitat! Trees, shade, wood chips, wonderful!
Mary