Keeping crap off your deck or patio??? Good ideas?

[RoosterJosh]

Hello everyone!

I have a flock of 32 birds, (9 turkeys & 23 chickens) and I cant seem to keep them off of my 2 story deck. Short of removing my stairs I cant think of a way to stop them from coming up and pooping on my deck while I'm away from hope or asleep in the morning. They are free range birds that come and go as they please. My goals are to keep them from being penned up, leaving their wings in tact so they can fly to safety from predators, but also keeping my deck free of crap. Hoping someone has already ran into this and has already come up with some brilliant solution I'm not thinking of.

 

[my sunwolf]

Yep, sh*t sucks!

The answer is: a fence. A very tall fence around the entire porch. This is the only thing that has worked for me.

 

[Bella54330]

I used to have this same problem, and here's what has worked for me. We are out on the deck A LOT in the summer, and when the chickens would come up, I'd squirt them with a water bottle, just like I'd squirt a cat. They didn't like it, and would run away. The SECOND their feet hit the stairs to come up, they would get squirted with the water bottle.

The trick (at least in my mind) is to squirt them, but don't yell at them, or make any vocalization. I want them to associate the water with stepping on the porch, NOT with the sound of my voice.

It seems to have worked, because ALL 4 of my chickens will not come onto the porch anymore. If one occasionally gets brave, she doesn't stay up there for more than a couple minutes, and is constantly looking around waiting for that water to hit her LOL!

Good Luck!

 

[my sunwolf]

I used to have this same problem, and here's what has worked for me. We are out on the deck A LOT in the summer, and when the chickens would come up, I'd squirt them with a water bottle, just like I'd squirt a cat. They didn't like it, and would run away. The SECOND their feet hit the stairs to come up, they would get squirted with the water bottle.

The trick (at least in my mind) is to squirt them, but don't yell at them, or make any vocalization. I want them to associate the water with stepping on the porch, NOT with the sound of my voice.

It seems to have worked, because ALL 4 of my chickens will not come onto the porch anymore. If one occasionally gets brave, she doesn't stay up there for more than a couple minutes, and is constantly looking around waiting for that water to hit her LOL!

Good Luck!

So exciting!! I have to try this...

 

[poultrylubber]

Oh my goodness I know how you feel!!!!! I have a two story deck and one morning I wake up to find my rooster looking through the door at me

I have to put a baby gate at the base of the stairs and that keeps them off of the deck. But they also really like standing in front of the door into the garage and dropping their..... gifts every were. We have to make a fence around the door area using a baby gate and snowblower.

 

[Bullitt]

Hello everyone!

I have a flock of 32 birds, (9 turkeys & 23 chickens) and I cant seem to keep them off of my 2 story deck. Short of removing my stairs I cant think of a way to stop them from coming up and pooping on my deck while I'm away from hope or asleep in the morning. They are free range birds that come and go as they please. My goals are to keep them from being penned up, leaving their wings in tact so they can fly to safety from predators, but also keeping my deck free of crap. Hoping someone has already ran into this and has already come up with some brilliant solution I'm not thinking of.

You could put a gate at the bottom of the stairs, and if the sides of the stairway are open for birds to get on the stairs, block the sides off with something, such as chicken wire.

 

[Oletymecowboy]

You could put a gate at the bottom of the stairs, and if the sides of the stairway are open for birds to get on the stairs, block the sides off with something, such as chicken wire.

x2, This is what I did. I built a gate blocking the steps, cured my problem.

 

[Primo]

I have a one story deck, about 30' long. I put up electric fencing around it with just 3 wires (about 2' tall) I got the solar electric fence charger at harbor freight for about $60. Took my time to make it look nice and no more problems. I also put a gate at the steps

 

[Uncluckable]

I have a one story deck, about 30' long. I put up electric fencing around it with just 3 wires (about 2' tall) I got the solar electric fence charger at harbor freight for about $60. Took my time to make it look nice and no more problems. I also put a gate at the steps

Oldish thread I know, but I was wondering if you had the stats on that charger handy? I just tried putting up an electric wire to keep mine off the patio, and the dang things just brush past it like they don't even notice. It advertises that it output 800 v -- is that perhaps not enough to breach the feather barrier? It sure gives a person a memorable jolt.

And was one of those wires a ground wire, to increase the potency, or were they all at the same potential?

 

[Primo]

I am not sure of the stats. It is the only solar charger harbor freight carries. Not particularly strong. If yours gives a solid jolt to a human, then it is more than enough for chicken. Some things to look at, are the wires pulled nice and tight? Do you have at least 3 wires?are any weeds touching the wires?how many ground rods did you put in the ground? I have 3 driven to 8'. I also keep a strip mowed very close to the ground right in front of the fence so their feet are making contact with the ground. Honestly my chickens never even test it anymore,they just stay away