Grandma with Chickens Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 I'm looking for plants and surfaces that my free-range chickens WON'T walk on. I love the chickens but I'm fed up with chicken poop on the front porch, front walk and the back patio. I've noticed less poop on the course fake grass doormat near our front door. I'm wondering if other chicken raisers have found surfaces that their chickens don't like. What about a coir doormat? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 There are probably things they won’t like to walk on, but unless you prepared to cover your whole patio in door mats, your best bet is to confine the chickens. I gave up protecting plants after a few years and confined the chickens instead of the plants. Any with Avian Influenza, all poultry should be under cover anyway, so they shouldn’t be out free ranging anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 54 minutes ago, Cat tails said: There are probably things they won’t like to walk on, but unless you prepared to cover your whole patio in door mats, your best bet is to confine the chickens. I gave up protecting plants after a few years and confined the chickens instead of the plants. Any with Avian Influenza, all poultry should be under cover anyway, so they shouldn’t be out free ranging anyway. Agree with Cat tails with regards swapping to keep your chickens confined. 11 years ago I got my first chickens. They roamed the garden, pooped everywhere and ate my plants. One day, I showed them some begonias, but they weren't interested, so I planted them. Next day they ate them all. I swept poops all the time but our dog would find the one I didn't sweep and eat it. In the end, I bought them a lovely run and that is where they have stayed, although I have Pekins now not gingernut rangers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girly Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 On 12/19/2020 at 5:23 PM, Grandma with Chickens said: I'm looking for plants and surfaces that my free-range chickens WON'T walk on. I love the chickens but I'm fed up with chicken poop on the front porch, front walk and the back patio. I've noticed less poop on the course fake grass doormat near our front door. I'm wondering if other chicken raisers have found surfaces that their chickens don't like. What about a coir doormat? Due to Avian flu my garden is beginning to recover a bit. I bought a walk in cage and my girls are kept in that. It’s not the best solution for them but in the spring I’m having a permanent covered run built for them. I hope for less mud and more grass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 Whereas my lawn is getting worse because my chickens have their tunnels and they keep digging in the lawn that the tunnels are on - they don’t normally bother digging in the lawn because they have all the shrubby borders for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 1 hour ago, mullethunter said: Whereas my lawn is getting worse because my chickens have their tunnels and they keep digging in the lawn that the tunnels are on - they don’t normally bother digging in the lawn because they have all the shrubby borders for that. Think of it in terms that they might be getting any moss out for you 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 (edited) 28 minutes ago, Luvachicken said: Think of it in terms that they might be getting any moss out for you Moss, weeds, grass, earth, money .... they make it all disappear! Edited January 7, 2021 by Cat tails 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
