Building a ramp.

[jreardon1918]

I used a scrap 2 x 6. It is about 48” long. They don’t really need it. See my coop pictures in my coop build article. Our run also has a couple logs. I could use one near the bop door just as well.

 

[aart]

Ramps are iconic, but for the most part, are not needed at all. Instead of a ramp, install a small landing platform for them to hop to.
Birds fly up to roosts, to nest boxes, etc. They can come and go through elevated pop holes the same way.

Doesn't that depend on the breed of bird? Some can't fly, some are just too big to get enough lift and if they are your pets you want them to have a happy stress free life.

JT

Both the above quotes can be true...
....like most chicken issues, 'it depends' comes into play.
Several variables to consider....height of pop door from ground, 'lay of land' outside pop door(are there run walls to contend with?), breed of birds, keepers preference.
IMO, here are a couple of good 'rules of thumb' for:
Landing area or 'porch' outside pop door, about 12" x 12".
Ramp 8-12" wide.
Cleats about 1/2" high and 4-6" spacing.
Angle less than 35-40° off horizontal.
Bottom of ramp and be propped on something up to about 16" high(like a concrete block) to reduce sharpness of angle and to keep it off the ground to reduce rot rate.

 

[ronott1]

Good thread!

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I know they can fly up and down, often better than I'd expect. But I have some clumsy heavy birds with limited abilities. They seem to enjoy the ramps.

 

[bruceha2000]

I know they can fly up and down, often better than I'd expect. But I have some clumsy heavy birds with limited abilities. They seem to enjoy the ramps.

I didn't have ramps the first 4 years but as my now 6 year old birds aged, it did seem like they were getting reluctant to fly down. All can skip the ramp and fly straight to the 4' high roosts or choose to stage off the 2' high roosts. But I have noticed chickens are much better at flying up to a spot and landing than they are hitting one and stopping with a perfect 10 score (more like a 3) flying down to an intermediate one. Hop down, yes but if they have to fly, not so much.

Doesn't that depend on the breed of bird? Some can't fly, some are just too big to get enough lift and if they are your pets you want them to have a happy stress free life.

@aart dealt with this better than I would have, though I planned to

 

[CynthiaN]

Doesn't that depend on the breed of bird? Some can't fly, some are just too big to get enough lift and if they are your pets you want them to have a happy stress free life.

JT

I was wondering about that too. I have zero chicken experience and want things to be as stress free as possible for all of us (-;

 

[CynthiaN]

That's a good idea, do you

That's a good idea, do you

I just use 1 x 8 for a ramp and put shallow saw cuts every inch.

JT

What's a shallow saw cut?

have to sweep the cuts out often?

have to sweep the cuts out often?

 

[bruceha2000]

Perhaps there is one thing we haven't yet determined What is the vertical distance from where the ramp starts and where it stops?

 

[CynthiaN]

Perhaps there is one thing we haven't yet determined What is the vertical distance from where the ramp starts and where it stops?

Their door is 36" up and the ramp will be approx. 52" long.

 

[aart]

Here's a pic and some height numbers of my pop door, 'porch' and ramp.
Ramp is 56" long and hinged to porch.
Porch is about 16x14.

Another view.