Chicken Ladder Delima

[ANGELCHICK]

Our chicken ladder is about 2 feet tall, ground to coop. About what age can chicks climb up? I have 2 bantam chicks 3weeks old. Thanks

 

[diamondsilkies]

It depends on the chicken, usually, sometimes they will go up into the roost when they are ready, but other times they will find other high spots to sleep. If they do, just move them to the roost once they've fallen asleep every night until they finally go sleep in the roost.

 

[TattooedChicks]

My bantam chicks were roosting about 2 feet up on the roosts by around 4-5 weeks old. They are sprite little buggers.

 

[Teila]

Hi there

If I read your question correctly, it is more directed to the actual ramp [ladder] not roost?

As long as you have raised spacers to stop them sliding back and it is not extremely steep, 3 week olds should be able to use the ramp.

Example:

 

[lazy gardener]

IMO, it's not a matter of "Can they get up the ramp?" at 3 weeks old, as it is, "Are they bright enough to go up the ramp and into the coop?"

At 3 weeks of age, your chicks should have some good flight feathers, and easily be able to navigate the ramp. But, chickens of all ages, and in this case, especially chicks, are not always bright enough to figure out how to get where they want to be. For example: chickens will often stampede out of the run when the gate is opened. But, when they want to get back in, there can be a few who are intellectually challenged. They wander haplessly around outside of the run, trying to get through the fence. Same with chicks and the ramp. They may come down it just fine, but "forget" that there's even a warm coop to return to. Or they may run around the base of the coop, trying to figure out "IN", without looking up to the pop door that is a foot above their heads. It takes time to be sure that they have all "got it". Once they've figured it out, you can back off on the supervision.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's not a question of "can they", it's a question of "do they want to". Silkies can't fly but practically any chick that can fly can easily fly up those two feet by two weeks and yours are older. If a broody hen tells them to climb that ramp they can do it at a couple of days old. I've had chicks two weeks old fly up to the roosts when Mama told them to. Your three week old chicks don't have anybody calling them to come on up that they will listen to.

LG made a good point. Sometimes even if they want to they can't always figure out how. Mine also sometimes have trouble with the concept of "gate" for a while and it's quite possible the chicks will get under the ramp instead of going to where it touches the ground.

I'm not sure why you want them to go into the coop, or maybe when. If it is at night I suggest picking them up after they have gone to bed and lock them in the coop until they figure it out. That may take a few days, that may take a few weeks. If it is during the day, well that can be a huge challenge just getting them to want to go up there.

 

[azygous]

Granted, chick brains aren't always clicking away on all cylinders. But to a chick, if you start them out inside a coop, and after they manage to make their way out of it into the run, things look totally different outside on the ground than they did when inside the coop.

This is why it's almost always necessary to train them with repetition by placing them through the pop-hole until they begin to associate the two sides of the pop-hole with being the same place.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I take a different approach. I let them train themselves as much as I can.

When I first open the pop door for the first time, sometimes they are all out on the ground within 15 minutes. It has taken into the third day for some broods for the last one to hit the ground. Normally it's a matter of hours, not days. I'm good with either outcome. From what I can tell the chickens are too.

However, I want them in the coop at night for both weather and predator protection. So I put them in the coop at night and lock them in there until they learn to go in by themselves. Sometimes that only takes a day or two. With some broods it's taken three weeks before they all catch on. Each brood is different.

A lot of it is your management techniques and what makes you happy. Use whichever approach appeals to you. Either way the chickens will be fine. People tend to worry about these things a lot more than chickens do.