Are you a homeowner in the United States who likes to keep chickens? If so, you may be struggling with how to keep them off your porch.
Chickens are an entertaining hobby at home. There's nothing better for breakfast than a freshly baked egg.
If chicken breeders scratch your flowerbeds, eat your gardens, and pooping in your yard, raising your chicken can be very difficult.
In this blog post, we'll share 10 ways to keep chickens off the porch so that you can reclaim your space.
Chicken instinct is the most common factor driving the chickens to your yard. Unlike other birds, they are instinctive for life: comfort and food.
Survival means reproduction. Chickens love to visit the porch or the decks of their homes.
Decks are closer in proximity to humans and therefore birds on the porch are usually better protected from predatory birds and their prey when they sit.
Your deck will likely be in shade all the time. Other reasons include chickens being aware of where food comes from. The chicken flock leaves a lot of chicken poop.
If you live in a rural area, chances are you have had to deal with chickens on your property at some point or another.
Whether they belong to your neighbor or they are wild, these feathered friends can be quite a nuisance.
Here are 10 ways to keep your chickens off your porch.
Chickens are attracted to areas where they feel safe and comfortable. If your chicken coop is close to your porch, they may be more likely to venture over.
Try moving the coop a little further away from the porch to see if that deters them.
If you feed your chickens near the porch, they will associate that area with food and be more likely to return frequently.
Try feeding them in a different part of the yard so they don’t make a habit of coming to the porch for meals.
Chickens like to perch on high places so they can survey their surroundings. If you provide them with higher perches, they may be less likely to try and roost on your porch railing.
Place the chicken wire on top of fences or sheds so they have somewhere else to go.
Set up motion-activated sprinklers around your porch so that when the chickens come close, they get sprayed with water.
This will teach them that approaching the porch isn’t a pleasant experience and they will be less likely to come back.
Some spices and herbs can act as natural deterrents for chickens. Try placing packets of cayenne pepper, chili powder, or garlic cloves near the perimeter of your porch to repel chickens.
You can also grow plants like lavender, marigolds, or mint which have strong smells that chickens don’t like.
Chickens love digging in loose dirt so giving them an area where it’s okay for them to dig can help keep them away from other areas of your yard, like your porch flower beds.
Create a designated digging area for them by removing any grass and loosening the soil with a shovel.
Make your porch less inviting by getting a dog or cat who can help chase the chickens away when they come too close to the house.
This won’t work all the time but it can be effective in deterring them from getting too close to your porch or patio doors and windows.
Install fencing around your patio or deck so chickens can’t access it easily. You may need to put fencing underground as well so they can’t dig underneath it and get onto your porch from there. Choose a fence material that is sturdy enough that chickens can’t bend or break it easily.
Chickens don’t like citrus fruits so try scattering orange or lemon slices around the perimeter of your porch area as a natural repellent against them wanting to approach closer.
Not only will this help keep your chickens away but it will also make your yard smell nice!
The acidic smell of vinegar is another scent that deters chickens.
Mix equal parts water and vinegar into a spray bottle and spritz it around areas where you don’t want chickens congregating, like along the edge of your porch steps or on ledges near windows.
Reapply as necessary after rainstorms or whenever you notice the scent has faded.
See Also: How to Get Rid of Pigeons
If you're like me, you love spending time on your porch. It's the perfect place to relax and enjoy the outdoors.
But if you have chickens, you may have found that they like to spend time on your porch too.
Adding a rooster to your flock may help keep your chickens closer to home, as they will herd their hens toward safety.
Chickens can be a nuisance, scratching up the wood and leaving droppings behind. So what can you do to keep them away?
If you live in a rural area, chances are you've had to deal with pesky chickens at some point.
They can be noisy, dirty, and just plain annoying. But how do you get rid of them without harming them?
There are a few things you can do to discourage chickens from hanging around your property. Here are a few of the most effective methods:
With a little effort, you can keep them away from your deck and enjoy the outdoors in peace!
You may have seen fake owls or hawks at your local hardware store and wondered if they would work to keep them away.
The short answer is that they might, but there is no guarantee. Chickens are not easily fooled by a fake predator, so it's important to take other steps to deter them as well.
There are a few things you can do to keep your chickens off your porch:
There is no one spice that will keep your chickens away, but you can try using a combination of strong-smelling spices like garlic, onion, and chili powder.
Sprinkle these spices around the perimeter of your porch to deter chickens from coming onto the desk.
Getting chickens away from your porch can be a difficult task, but it is possible. By using chicken wire, objects, and spices, you can deter chickens from coming onto your porch.
With patience and training, you can also train your chickens to stay away from the balcony area altogether.
We hope you found this article helpful. If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us. Thank you for reading!