Spacing for rungs on a chicken ramp

[PortlandCityChicks]

So this is a very small point in the grand scheme of the giant chicken coop that my husband is in the process of building for our new little girls, but a consternating one, nonetheless. How far apart should the rungs be on the chicken ladder? It's a pretty steep ladder (6 horizontal feet to 3 vertical feet).

Thanks bunches from another new chicken owner!!

 

[precipice]

I did 12" on the one I built, and that was too much. It took the pullets about a month to get used to it, and even still they often go up some wire mesh on the side of the ladder rather than using it. I would probably do 6" or 8" apart next time.

 

[Firetiger]

Brand new coop - spacing was about 6 inches. First hen down the ramp slid between rungs. Added rungs, spacing now about 3 inches. Hens now scamper up and down the ramp. I doubt if there is one correct number.Keep adding rungs until the chickens seem comfortable walking up and down the ramp.

 

[CarlaRiggs]

I would guess 3"-4" spacing of small bumps on the ladder would work. Mine, too are not happy about their ladder. One would think it's a 'slip & slide'!

My idea is to remove it, and add a perch near the door so that they can launch from that through the opening. Two of them are already bypassing the end of the ladder as is.
Less mess to clean up on the ladder, too.

Carla

 

[PortlandCityChicks]

Thank you!! I think we're going to try 3-4 inches for now - though I would volunteer to watch them slide down the ramp with a wider spacing - sounds better than TV to me !!

 

[mrchicken]

We will try 6".

 

[bryan99705]

I went about 3" or a chicken's stride apart because when it rains, the wood gets muddy and slick

 

[sadies chicks]

We tried 6" at first, some of the girls could get up (the bigger birds) but the poor little silkies had a hard time, so we modified the ramp and added more rungs so they are about 3" now.

 

[BlueBetween]

I used a 2.5 inch piece of scrap wood as my spacer - the chickens love it and think it's perfect, they walk up and down like pros.

 

[teach1rusl]

The last ladder I put together for my newbie chicks, I put nary a rung on it. I tacked shingle material down it's length, and my little ones have found it very grippable, and it's easy to hose off if/when needed. But on my other ladders, the rungs are about 4 inches apart...