Keeping chickens from eating house? How to discourage chickens from certain areas

[lysmandor]

I realize the obvious answer to this is fencing a dedicated chicken run, but I'm wondering if anyone has any other ideas.

The concrete foundation of my house is covered with sheet styrofoam insulation, painted over with a concrete-like coating. Unfortunately, the chickens have realized that it is obviously a fun source of their favorite food - styrofoam.

They are currently allowed to free range most of the day over our fenced acre property - our house is located in the center of the property, so to keep the chickens away from the house would involve either fencing them in a dedicated chicken run, or fencing the entire perimeter of the house. We enjoy having the chickens out in the yard, and the dogs run around with them for a good portion of the day and (hopefully) deter predators. We have 4 pullets at the moment.

The problem started when there were some chips in the grey concrete coating, exposing the tasty blue styrofoam. I've tried recoating the foam, but they pull off the paint to get at the foam now that they know it's there.

Ideas to deter them from this area? It's about a 4 inch border around the base of the house, some bordering dirt, some bordering concrete.

 

[Willow2253]

You’re probably going to need some kind of physical barrier. Fencing is the obvious answer, but if you can cover it with something else that may work too. Do you have pictures of what the setup looks like to give us a better idea of how to help you?
I’ve had styrofoam eaters too. We had to cover it with a tarp so they couldn’t get to it, it’s the packaging for a greenhouse we haven’t set up yet.

 

[lysmandor]

Here's the area I'm talking about - it extends all the way around the house. Some of it is over dirt and some of it is over asphalt (driveway area). It's the area between the ground and where the siding ends.

You can see a blue spot below where a chicken pecked a hole.

And then here's a spot on our patio with a lot of damage (haven't gotten to patching this area yet).

 

[lysmandor]

And here's one of the culprits.

 

[Willow2253]

That’s interesting, I don’t think I’ve seen a house designed like that with exposed styrofoam. My suggestion, since you don’t want fencing, is directly cover the styrofoam. Board it up, cover it in a layer of concrete, something like that that a chicken can’t easily get through.

 

[lysmandor]

That’s interesting, I don’t think I’ve seen a house designed like that with exposed styrofoam. My suggestion, since you don’t want fencing, is directly cover the styrofoam. Board it up, cover it in a layer of concrete, something like that that a chicken can’t easily get through.

Apparently it's not super uncommon for concrete slab foundations.... and I was reading that you don't want to cover it with something solid (like wood boards) for exactly the same reason you don't apply house siding all the way to the ground - https://inspectapedia.com/exterior/Siding-Ground-Clearance-Specifications-Codes.php

I have been recovering it with a concrete-like product meant for this specific application, but apparently they think it's fun to peck it until they can chip it back off.

My only thought is somehow putting metal mesh over it a few inches away? Although it's not pretty, and I assume they'll just manage to reach through it somehow.

 

[maryn7]

What about a fine metal mesh/screening cut and attached around the base of the house - would still allow expansion/contraction of the concrete but would prevent (?) pecking. At least successful pecking.

Can attest that, once they get a taste for it, they're going to find it unless it's covered.

The pictured culprit is extremely cute.

Edit: I see we've had the same idea. I think if you get something fine enough, you could probably mount to the affected area? (I'm thinking furring strips at regular intervals attached to the styro with liquid nails; screw into the furring to not damage the foundation.) *I am not a contractor!*

 

[lysmandor]

What about a fine metal mesh/screening cut and attached around the base of the house - would still allow expansion/contraction of the concrete but would prevent (?) pecking. At least successful pecking.

Can attest that, once they get a taste for it, they're going to find it unless it's covered.

The pictured culprit is extremely cute.

She's teaching my two new BOs her styrofoam pecking ways, unfortunately! They have a whole acre of things to peck, but clearly eating the house is more fun. At least it's just insulation foam and not structural or anything, I guess.

I thought about this, but would even hardware cloth be small enough mesh to keep them from just reaching through the holes and eating it anyway?

 

[lysmandor]

Or maybe something like window screen? I guess it doesn't even need to be particularly strong. Just keep chickens from pecking through it easily, not look too horrible, and not be a barrier to keep moisture behind it or let bugs live there.

 

[chrissynemetz]

That was my thought, maybe wire window screen?