Keeping Chickens off the concrete?

[gdgross]

So I've had my girls for over a year now, generally going well. After a couple of mishaps (lost two hens, one of which was my best layer) my dog is now getting along with the girls very well and leaves them alone. I did the thing where I tied the dead bird around the dog's neck and she suffered for the better part of a week that way.

They are 100% free range, I do have an enclosed run that ive locked them in before, but I prefer letting them rub around and eat the fruit that fall from my trees and all the bugs etc in my yard. They no longer lay in the coop, but they each have their own secluded spot in the yard where Ill go collect eggs every few days.

My next problem is how to keep them off the concrete patio in my yard? I'm growing weary of cleaning off the droppings; it's kind of gross. Id rather not put up a fence, as it would have to he high enough to keep them from flying over it.... At least 4 feet as one is an American game bird and a great flyer... Is there any method of training them to keep off the concrete? I do have an electric poultry fence that I bought and never used; id rather go another route if possible, but I'm not morally opposed to zapping them I it won't hurt them and it will keep my patio clean...

Thanks, this forum's wonderful!!
Geoff

 

[NonnasBabies]

The only way is to fence them up. Just something you have to deal with!!

 

[ChickInDelight]

Try spraying an offensive cleaning product on your patio - like Pine Sol or Mr. Clean. It works with my ducks - for short time.

 

[kareninthesun]

Someone on this site shared about using squirt guns. I have a big backyard and cemented patios on two sides, with french doors on both. The chickens loved going to the window and seeing what was going on inside, and loved to roost under the crossbeams of the outside tables, on the chairs, under the swings. I'[d hose off every day just to get through to the yard. Pretty nasty. Most stores have big squirt guns on clearance now. Got two bigger ones that you can pump with air, and has good range. I keep them by both doors on the inside, and it didn't take them long to learn. Kinda fun to watch now, if they want to go from one side of the upper back yard grass area and take the shorter route across the patio, they run like crazy, hoping they don't get wet. Of course, they still sometimes get on the patio anyway, but not nearly as often. I also feed them snacks on the other side of the yard.

 

[SconnieChickens]

This is an old post but just in case someone stumbles on it like I did... I had the same problem in a favorite flower bed. Didn’t care where else they went but this one bed I had several unique hostas and day lilies. I bought a motion activated sprinkler called the Scare Crow. Holy buckets did that work. Set it up, set the sensitivity and once one comes close it sprays water wherever you aim it. Meant for nuisance animals like rabbits and deer but works great for chickens! Most of the time they didn’t even get wet they just got scared. After a few days I could even turn it off. If they got brave again, it went back on. You can daisy chain them together if you have a big area but it covers quite a bit of ground.