Return of the House Guests. About 3 weeks ago our chickens started wandering in to the house. With spring upon us the back door was going be open most days so I had to find a way to keep the girls out while letting the air in.
My first hope was I could train them (okay, it wasn’t much of a hope, but I did try). I clapped and poked and shouted and tried to make them understand what a terrifying place the house was to absolutely no avail. It was kind of funny how un-terrified they were of me.
Plan B was a barricade. Just a simple clothes drying rack – the kind you hang on the back of a door – placed in front of the opening. This worked a treat… for a while.
Then came Rosie the Brave. It is hard to scare that girl.
All 3 made it to the top of the stair case and took up their group chortling. It’s a pleasant sound.
Then Rosie thought maybe she could squeeze through that flimsy old rack.
Presto, Rosie’s in.
2 seconds later, Frank sprung up and chased her out. She has no idea what his problem was.
I think we have to put the rail up close enough to the edge of the top step so that they can’t stand firmly then step through. I think that will work.
Laura Rittenhouse's Gardening Journal 
Had you thought of converting the door into a stable door?
That’s worth considering. But it would have to be a high split. The chooks easily jump/flutter 1 metre up.and I’m pretty sure they’d be keen enough to see what we’re doing behind the door to try that. There’s a chance we’ll end up putting chicken wire across the side garden to keep them away from these steps (and some herbs). We’ll see how this wire clothes rail works if it’s closer to the edge of the stair.
Good luck!
Clever (and cute) aren’t they 🙂
Cute, clever and persistent. “Never give up” is the motto of my girls whether it’s stealing my spinach, fluttering up to pick a ripening mulberry or breaking into my house. Lucky for them they are so sweet 🙂
You should invent a chicken-guard for doors. It would be a big seller!
Good idea. I’m sure it would be a big seller amongst crazies who let their chickens waddle right up to their door. Which means I could sell about 15 of them. Or is this disorder more wide spread than I imagine 🙂
Oh, definitely more wide spread! 🙂