are ramps needed?

[sashurlow]

I've noticed that everyone puts a ramp on their coops but have been to a local "farm" that had the opening maybe a foot off the ground and they simply hopped in. How high can a door be before it needs a ramp?
They are birds after all.
Scott

 

[patandchickens]

It depends partly on your breed(s); also on how wide the opening is. While they can flap or hop up, they are not very *agile* birds (well, the larger breeds that most people have, anyhow) and do a lot better with either somewhere to land or a *broad* opening to allow wing-room. Also if you are expecting them to fly up to a popdoor or roost, they need sufficient horizontal room to go up/down at a reasonable angle, as they are not helicopters -- in some coops there really *isn't* good run-up room to the roosts, or you may not want that much flapping going on, so a ramp can come in handy in that way too.

Pat

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Yeah! What Pat said!

 

[fldiver97]

My popdoor is not very high but I can tell you...none of my girls is named 'Grace' ......

.... they are heavy breeds and can fly some but they much prefer the ramp (so do I, some days I cringe when I see them flopping onto the roost when they all want to get up at the same time...they have a ramp/step but are not always patient.....) Pat makes a good point...

 

[willheveland]

I don't make ramps. They fly up to their roosts,nestbox and pophole door. The only time I do use them is if they are really young and are still in training. Will

 

[feathersnuggles]

I use a tree stump shoved against the coop just below the pop door. It serves as a ledge, porch, or wide landing spot ...and from the stump they step UP into the coop or jump DOWN into the "world". It was a super easy solution and works great!

 

[Smoky73]

My birds either all have ramps or stairs. I use the rectangular pavers from walmart as stairs. works great.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Depends if you have chicks or not as well, in the main coop. When they are really small they can't jump that high. But, most people seperate the broody hens anyway.