starboyhull Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Hi guys......Maybe a bit of a daft question but here goes anyway..... Do any of you have a problem with your girls insisting on coming in the house???? The thing is we leave the back door open so we can hear whats going on and so the dogs can keep an eye on the garden for foxes, but they are becoming a real pest sitting on the work top, as you can see in my album, can anyone suggest anything to deter them, without the obvious answer of close the door lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 yes ! if we leave anything open...garage...back door - they are there! What we have done now is made a perspex chicken barrier for our back door that way, i can still have the backdoor open in what supposedly is summer and the chickens can still see in....but they cant get in ...its only about 20 inches tall, but it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisHapp Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 What about a baby gate type thing? Pics look funny though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 They are pushing me tonight, must have carried them out 10 times now, probably becoming a game for them now lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 great pics....your garden is fab so neat and tidy and the eglu looks great in it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Mine love to come in too. This year we have built a fence, so we can have the doors open in the summer. Netting works well too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 Thanks for that Chelsea The garden looks nice at the moment, we are going to have them on some kind of bark though, as just over a week and the grass is starting to look a bit messy...... I think we might have to devise some kind of gate, maybe one that the dogs can learn to push open but would be too hard for the little monsters lol Also would have to have a spring and open both ways.......hmmmm Anyone any good at that sort of DIY, if I wait for Andy to do anything like that the girls will have made a permanent home for themselves in the kitchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 How bizarre - Hubbie and I were having this same discussion not 30 mins ago. We have a 3ft fire guard propped up against the open back door. Sometimes Stella sits on top of it. When it is not there, they all rush in the kitchen. We thought we may have to construct some kind of fence/gate maybe 2 metres from the back door. But something pretty and not too heavy looking. Simply because the backdoor is their favourite place to sit (and poo ....and poo....and poo....). So any pics anyone has of their set up would help me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 yes....pooing outside the backdoor seems to be their favourite hobby doesnt it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 We have a photo in our album of Poppy on her way up the stairs I just have to appear at the patio door with it shut & the girls come running Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 Thats what i'm most concerned about, the poo, I never thought something so small could create so much lol Any more suggestions would be gratefully received I think, Although a child gate might work, this in our case would stop the dogs from going outside......Might have to do a search online..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Mine used to do all of the above, but I wanted to reclaim my patio and stop them from eating all my herbs, so I used some green covered wire fencing to separate the patio from the rest of the garden. No more poo outside the back door and no more chooks eating the cat food. I do miss them peckign at the french doors when I was eating, but it has been a small price to pay for regaining my patio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 That is a very funny picture of her on the stairs Although I think i would find it quite funny if the came into the house, Andy would go mad I just told him about them in the kitchen....."well keep the bl**dy door shut then" luckily hes away so they will get away with it for a couple of days lol....I will probably make it worse not shutting the door but at least they are getting used to being handled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 You can buy weighted mosquito/fly door curtains that come with sticky back velcro patches for attaching onto your door surround You could make something similar with a piece of muslin or voile if you can't find a mosquito door curtain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 Thanks for that Claire...... I have just had a look on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FLY-DOOR-SCREEN-CURTAIN-4-PC-EASY-FIT-WEIGHTED-PANELS_W0QQitemZ120134401353QQihZ002QQcategoryZ101412QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem This type of thing would be ideal.......Might have to get something like that ordered up...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I use one of those green metal mesh shelves that you get in those mini plastic greenhouses - fits perfectly and keeps the chooks out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisnrob Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Maybe you could go for something reasonably solid (like the previous perspex suggestion) but with a flap in so that the dogs could get in and out? It's seems unlikely that chickens could flap up, push a flap open with their beaks and walk through it all at the same time. Or maybe they're cleverer than we think...? I have to say that our two have appeared at the conservatory door a few times but have never ventured any further. A sharp word and a general 'shooing' motion with the arms sees them wandering off back down the garden. We're hoping that by never letting them in they will learn that they aren't supposed to be in. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 Thanks Rob....Getting lots of ideas now..... Well I have tried everything, even forcing the dogs in the kitchen (they are a little shared of the girls) which usually makes them run away but they seem determined that the kitchen worktop is their new cool place to hang out.......Shooing them makes no difference, they dont even flap now, just look at me like im crazy lol come to think of it I think I am getting that way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P&P Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 We've got a wire frame that's in 2 parts, hinged in the middle so we can open it like a door, which goes in front of the patio door, but prior to that, while I was waiting for Hubby to construct it, I just used an open umbrella wedged in the doorway - it worked well as a temporary measure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 My girls quite often come into the kitchen if I have to pop inside while the kids are playing in the garden. Maybe I should mind but I really don't! They make me laugh and they only come in to see what's going on, when I go back out I have three hens flapping behind me. It doesn't help that I sometimes sneak them a little sweetcorn when they are out there. Naughty I know!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy C Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 We use collapsable trellis (£5 from Asda) to block open doors into the conservatory, kitchen and garage. It expands to the size needed. It lets the air through but deters the girls. Not practical for dogs though..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 I will see how they go today, might just have been something they got in their heads as the weather still wasnt great yesterday...... Although I doubt it, they are just cheeky and very nosey....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 I think you'll find once they've been, they'll always want to come in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 I knew that was coming..... Oh well Andy will have to get used to them in the house then hehe..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 I think you'll find once they've been, they'll always want to come in. Trinny has decided she wants to freerange in the whole garden and now flaps/climbs up the chickenwire fence regularly and goes walkabout on her own. Part of me finds it amusing as she is such a character. They are all opportunists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
