coop too tall??? ramp question.....

[mistycolleen]

we may have built our coop too tall. where we located it is on a sloping hill behind our detached garage. on the one side the floor is about 3 1/2 feet off the ground but only a few feet away from the garage and on the other side where i had the plan of the ramp is about 5-6 feet off the ground. is this going to be a problem for them? we never took into consideration the height of the ramp when we were building it and im pretty frustrated about it now. on the front of the coop where i planned my stairs and starting the run is more level but i was hoping to keep the front cleared for easy cleaning and being able to back a trailer under it. we have not finished the coop yet so i could possible add the door to the front if a 5-6 foot ramp would be too tall. if it needed to be at a 45 degree angle, my god that would be a long run! please any advice would greatly be appreciated!!!!

 

[mistycolleen]

Here is a bad picture of it but all that i have right now......

 

[Hokum Coco]

f the ramp is about 5-6 feet off the ground. is this going to be a problem for them?

In a perfect world the ramp should be twice the length of the drop. This will put the ramp at a 6/12 pitch. A block at the end of the ramp also can go a long way to reduce the slope.

 

[mistycolleen]

oh a block is a good idea. i wondered about a multi level one? having it go so far and having a platform before it meets the ground. im sure once they are big enough they will only go so far and fly down too.... just worried about the first batch of little ones to go out there

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

oh a block is a good idea. i wondered about a multi level one? having it go so far and having a platform before it meets the ground. im sure once they are big enough they will only go so far and fly down too.... just worried about the first batch of little ones to go out there

Yes - using a block and then changing direction is also a good solution to this sort of situation.

 

[PoultryAddict 1]

that's a little tall....

I'm not a construction expert but based on my run, you might wanna staple chicken wire to the underneath of the coop, cut a hole in the floor and have a little ramp underneath, in the back you could install the human door. I dunno, just a thought.

 

[Dmontgomery]

Building on what others have suggested, or just clarifying... your ramp needs to be about 12' total. Go out with the ramp 6', build a platform twice the width of the ramp 3' off the ground. Build another ramp 6' long from the platform but pointed back towards the coop. Google "switchback wheel chair ramp" to get an picture of what we are describing.

 

[Noaskye]

Ours was pretty tall too but my husband built the ramp like this & my 5 week olds can navigate it.

 

[mistycolleen]

That's perfect! Exactly what I was thinking we would try

 

[aart]

Ours was pretty tall too but my husband built the ramp like this & my 5 week olds can navigate it.

Do they fly down or walk down....looks rather steep??
Lots of close cleats tho, that helps.
Is lower ramp as steep as upper ramp?
Nice design, I'd just go with longer and less steep ramps.

Bottom end of ramp can be about 16" above ground...I use concrete block under low end my coop ramps.