Coop door height above ground

[puddleglumWI]

Hi all,

I have my chicken tractor complete, the Cream Legbar hens are on grass, and I am moving it every other day. Should be laying in 4-6 weeks.

Part of my plan was to take over a part of the barn for wintering the hens. The tractor is winterize-able, but it would be easier to have them in the barn, in a secured area. The main issue that needs solving is putting in a chicken door to a run next to the barn. The barn has a 14" thick, 41" tall base wall made of field stones and mortar. Putting a door through that wall is not happening.

One option is to cut a chicken door into one of the man doors in the barn, but then the run outside enclose the man door, which is less than ideal for using it to bring things in and out of the barn.

Another option would be to take one of the many aluminum windows out, cover over the opening with plywood, and put the chicken door in there. The chicken door would then be 42-44" above the floor in the barn and about 48-50" above the ground outside. There is an 11" ledge, the stone wall, in front of the windows inside the barn, so I think the chickens could easily fly up and land on that. I could have a long ramp outside for them to get in and out of the run.

Would having a door that high off the ground be problematic for the chickens? Would there be any reason they wouldn't use a big ramp like that?

Here is a quick sketch of the wall, inside the barn on the left, outside on the right:

Thanks,
-pg

 

[Penpal]

A ramp would work, but your sketch's ramp is too steep. Take ice into consideration.

 

[saysfaa]

Have you considered "steps"?

Stumps or tables of several heights. Hay bales would work, maybe with a board across the tops.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I like the idea of sturdy stumps. If using platforms or stumps please make sure they cannot be tipped over. Being a chicken on the ground when a big ole thing lands on them would not be good.