Can chickens jump safely? (pic added)

[savingpurple]

The way the one perch is designed is above the nesting boxes. We put a slightly slanted angle piece of wood above the nesting boxes to keep them from laying eggs there. The back part of the perch, towards the top of the angled board is about a 12" space they can jump. The front part is about an 18" or a little more, from the lower part of the angled piece.

My question is: Is this too much of a jump for chickens? They all seem to do it just fine, but worry about their feet and legs. If you all feel this is too high, then any suggestions on how to soften the jump without creating the urge to lay the eggs there? Ladders would be in the way I think?

Will try to get a picture if that will help? Thanks in advance.....

 

[BantamoftheOpera]

I would say it depends on your breed. I've got an EE that jumps 10 ft up into a little hole of our boarded up shelf to lay her eggs, but the other girls are too big for that manuver.

 

[Shannon's Chix]

I've had several types of LF chickens and they all have been able to jump into and out of a small opening into the coop 2 feet off the ground. Their roost is probably close to that high up as well, no ladders or anything...

 

[savingpurple]

Putting a pic up anyways....I have 2 white leghorns, and 5 New hampshire reds ( I think). There are 2 of the NHR's that are not as agile as the others?

 

[bryan99705]

Looks good, the bird I had get hurt was coming off a 5' roost and slightly injured her wing when she collided with another bird jumping down at the same time. I agree that going up is not a issue for most birds, it's the confined space jump down that can be hazardous. Your heights don't sound bad at all.

As to the tilted top over the laying box, the tilt is more to prevent roosting and the resulting poo piles than laying, a hen will choose a comfortable box over an open area to lay eggs most of the time. How about using the nest top to support a removable poop board(s) to keep the coop cleaner plus the birds may use their edges to jump up to the roost (make sure they don't flip over if they do)

 

[savingpurple]

what's a removable poop board? Can you show me? I will go on the hunt now...thanks...will check it out?