Chick-safe coop

[Aphrael]

x2 did she get them up to bed alright? Mine usually get them up to bed on a similar ramp without incident. Although, I too have the occasional featherhead I have to scoop up and put in the door to join mama and sibs. Never more than once or twice though. Even the silly ones catch on by then.

 

[LaFarm]

It was a little odd. Momma panicked a bit so I scooped them all up and put them in the coop. She hurried them all off to the nest and they went to bed. I think I will look in to additions to the ramp so the little ones can grip it better.

 

[Omellette]

What about some shingles or other grippy type of material

 

[sunflour]

Thanks! You were right. She waited a day and them brought them out. I have no idea how she got them down the ramp, but they were all on the ground pecking around and taking dust baths. I discovered something else though. How will she get them back UP the ramp? Should I add something to it for better traction? The boards on the ramp are maybe 5-6" apart. (I did put a top to a doghouse down on the ground just in case they don't make it up to the coop at night.)




Oh...and I made a food/water area for them in the coop and they loved that, but I hadn't made changes to the one under the coop. I was watching what momma hen would do and she gathered some feed in her mouth, broke it up with her beak and scattered it on the ground for the babies to peck at!

I had often wondered how mom taught chicks to eat…great photos, thanks for posting.

 

[sunflour]

I placed Non-Slip Tread Safety Tape - Self Adhesive on my ramp when my girls were first placed in coop, 'cause the crosses were too far apart and they slipped on the ramp. There are several brands, bought mine by the foot at local Ace Hardware, just cut to fit and press on. Worked well.

 

[LaFarm]

Non-slip tape! Genius! We will get that tomorrow. We had the same idea about the shingles, but then I worried they would peck at the rocks on it and I think shingles have toxic glues/stuff in it. So we bailed on that idea. A chick fell from the top and momma did nothing (just sat in the nest with the other sleeping babies. Luckily we were outside. We decided to get our brooder box out and set it IN the coop for now. We put the babies inside with food and water. Momma can fly out, but babies are stuck. We will try to get some non-slip tape tomorrow and give that a try! I'll update

 

[Aphrael]

I placed Non-Slip Tread Safety Tape - Self Adhesive on my ramp when my girls were first placed in coop, 'cause the crosses were too far apart and they slipped on the ramp. There are several brands, bought mine by the foot at local Ace Hardware, just cut to fit and press on. Worked well.

Love this idea! I bet that works like a charm! I've used sandpaper on my brooder ramps for traction, but never thought of the safety tape.

 

[sunflour]

Thanks for comments on the adhesive non-slip idea. It has worked out well for us. The only problem I have had was that when my girls were young I compulsively cleaned the ramp every week with soap and water. That made the adhesive edges lift a little. But never seemed to bother them. Since them I have removed some and replaced them.

The other, I guess cheaper solution would be to mix sand into paint and paint it between the crosses. But it's too late once the ramp is in use.

 

[Aphrael]

Thanks for comments on the adhesive non-slip idea. It has worked out well for us. The only problem I have had was that when my girls were young I compulsively cleaned the ramp every week with soap and water. That made the adhesive edges lift a little. But never seemed to bother them. Since them I have removed some and replaced them.

The other, I guess cheaper solution would be to mix sand into paint and paint it between the crosses. But it's too late once the ramp is in use.

That would be easier to clean as well, I'd think. Easier to clean than the sandpaper for sure.

But, like you said, can't really do that while it is in use. Good idea to keep in mind for the planning stage though. Or maybe if the coop is going to not be in use for a short time. I think I might do that for the ramps in my portable(ish) chick hut and brooder, actually. I don't have any of the safety strips right now. But I do have sand and paint. Thanks for the idea!

 

[LaFarm]

I didn't make it out to get the non-slip tape today but I had some plastic fencing material in the barn. I cut little strips of it and stapled it on the ramp. It worked! I put them all on the ramp and momma guided them up. One fell off and she didn't go back for it. She hurried the others to the nest and they went to bed for the night....hmmm. I helped the last baby into the nest after watching a bit and seeing momma wasn't going to go back for it.