Coop ladder problem

[beginnergirl]

My hens are slipping on their ladder which is a 5' wide cedar. The 1" slats are about 5" apart. The hens toes are curling under.

Long story short, they will not use the ladder. They will fly up to roost but will not fly down. I have to carry each one down.

The ladder is also probably too steep and wobbly as it is connected with one eyebolt. It goes from about 30" high to the ground in 3'. The builder was supposed to cut a hole in the coop floor but didn't.

Even putting mealworms on the slats didn't help.

My hens have hopped on tiny rungs of their Xpen so wonder about trying a ladder with only tree branches?

Overall, I love the coop but not sure how to get a ladder the chickens will use. Has anyone made a ladder that went around a corner? Is a 45 degree angle too steep?

Thanks.

 

[TalkALittle]

I stink at visualizing. Any way you can post a picture?

 

[Percheron chick]

Sounds little the coop floor is too small an area for them to fly down. Chickens will hop up but they don't hop down.

 

[beginnergirl]

Unfinished coop. Roof is not done yet.

Coop from inside run with piano hinge door to access hens from the side.

3 girls waiting to get down. Ladder not attached; just propped for picture. Is it too narrow, too steep? Rungs too far apart? Barred rock slipped on the rough cedar and her toes were curling under. Could cut a hole in coop so ladder would be longer and less sleep. Any suggestions on ladder & coop appreciated! Thanks Percheron and TalkALittle.

 

[Percheron chick]

Way too steep. If you don't have the room to extend the ramp to closer to a 20* angle, give them something halfway down to land on.

 

[beginnergirl]

Percheron,

Thank you! Will check if I can get the ramp closer to 20 degrees. How big of a door in the coop floor should I cut if this will work for my barred rock and SLW?

 

[scooter147]

Sounds little the coop floor is too small an area for them to fly down. Chickens will hop up but they don't hop down.

That is exactly the problem.

 

[Percheron chick]

Can you prop the ramp up on a cinder block or two? They should be able to jump down the rest of the way. You can also run a new ramp from one corner of the coop to the other (in the front if that makes sense). It will partially block access underneath but they don't care.

 

[TalkALittle]

It looks like the ramp runs straight into the wire side of the run. If so, it makes sense that they won't go down it. It's too steep so they probably feel like they are going to hit the wall at the bottom. If it were me I'd take the easy way out and just stand a good sized log that was about half the height for them to use hop up.

 

[beginnergirl]

Thanks, all. TalkALittle, I moved the ramp at a diagonal so it doesn't go to the wire and put a 5 gallon bucket with a large tree stump on it. They were not jumping down. The girls were very nervous about the tree stump and hope they will get used to it. Chickens are so funny about anything new. They even complained when they went to a larger brooder as chicks, so imagine they will get used to the tree stump or ladder at some point.

I put the tree stump on the ground and even though it was covered with worms, they were skeptical and talking... But my Easter Egger walked UP the ladder halfway so will see how it goes and if either will work!

Appreciate the suggestions about the diagonal, Percheron. Will update when I find a solution. The hens are not in the coop/run except at night and sometimes when I am away from home. But I want them to be comfortable and happy of course.