Could they figure out a porch?

[dirtybug]

the title doesn't really tell the story so..... I'm building a coop and the way I have it set I'd like to have a small 1'x1' porch outside the chicken door then a ramp down 3' to the ground. The girls would have to walk out the door and make a left turn to go down the ramp. could they figure it out? I'm picturing a confused chicken standing on the ledge then being pushed off by the next one

 

[NellaBean]

My chickens would have no problem figuring it out. I have gotten to where I leave the coop locked up during the day....with the pop door going into the small run down the hill on the side left open...and the run gate left open. The chickens have figured out that to get into the coop, they have to go down the hill and into the open run and up the ramp to the pop door.

Of course, keep in mind, if they take too long going out the pop door and down the ramp they do get shoved off anyways

 

[wildorchid053]

we moved our ramp while we painted and they just flew up the 3' into the pop door hole with no problem and back out again. piece of cake to them

 

[dirtybug]

Quote:
Good to know! I'll continue building and hope for the best.

 

[insiderart]

Eventually even all the silkies have learned the ramp. Eventually....

 

[edselpdx]

Mine negotiate a "porch" and turn to the ramp easily. Or flap straight down from the porch if they're in a hurry. It took them a few days to figure it out, as it was a change when I put it that way.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

My newest coop has a foot wide front porch. The chickens seem to love it. I find them lined up on it all the time. It's about 2 feet off the ground and they have no problems reaching it. The only problem for me is that it gets poopy and has to be scraped and hosed off periodically.

 

[dirtybug]

I'm sure its been discused by I havent found anything that talks about how steep the ramp can be. I know they can fly a bit but is there a general rule?

 

[mdbokc]

Same angle as a set of stairs works. Just eyeball it is fine. My ramp is not attached to anything as I just set one end of the 'porch.'

I have the porch (18" x 36"); the ramp goes up one end. The girls use the ramp and fly up and down, both ways

 

[Booswalia]

I set my ramp on a planter so they could get used to using it. Then I removed the planter and they had no problem adjusting to it.