Help! Pullets won't go up ramp to the coop!

[NevadaRon]

Howdy sfchickgirl and

I had the same problem and this is how I solved it. Put a light in the coop and turn it on before the sun goes down. They don't like the dark and will go into the coop more readily if it is light inside (you can turn it off after they are all settled). You will still have to put them in the first few days, but they'll get the idea pretty quickly after that.

 

[sfchickgirl]

Thanks for all the help everyone! My husband is boardingup the nest box as I type. We will try to turn on the light earlier too. I just haven't seen the birds actually climbing up the ramp, so I was wondering if the steps were too far apart, or if the birds and humans just needed some training. I think we will lock them in the coop for a few days after they go in tonight to see if that helps. Hope it's not too late. They've already been in for a week. I will post our outcome, which will hopefully be success with all your great suggestions.

Here is our coop/run without the ramp. Lovingly made with the help of many co-workers/friends and a good husband during a "coop-raising" party we threw (over several weeks!)

Here's a picture of the ramp with my stubborn chickens

 

[NevadaRon]

The step distance looks fine to me. Good luck!

 

[sfchickgirl]

Sweet success! (at least for one night). Kept the chickens in the coop for five days and then we let them out of confinement this weekend. We added their old brooder lamp inside the coop. We still had to get them from under the coop that first night, but with the bright light in the coop, they finally used their roost for the first time. Tonight, with the lamp on at dusk, they went in on their own and we found them huddled on the roost! Yeah!!
We also added some bigger rungs on the ramp. I don't expect this to work every night from now on, but what a relief that we may not have to carry them up to their coop forever....especially on those dark rainy winter evenings.

 

[viktoriacl]

It will work again. They are creatures of habit. If it worked once and you dont change anything they will respond the same way. Good work!

 

[MysticChicken]

I used cracked corn to lead the couple that didn't respond to the light up the ramp. I just sprinkled a bit going up and they followed it right up and in.

 

[ChooksChick]

Such a common problem!! Here's a little piece about it- more articles are on my BYC page.

How to get them to go in at night

 

[aliren]

Iv just made a big mistake, I had mama hen & 7 1week old chicks in a rabbit hutch, it was to small, so moved them to a bigger coop & run , they loved it and was able to act like chickens, every thing seemed perfect, but come bedtimes these little dots of chicks couldn’t get up the ramp, so mama hen settled down underneath, I tried every trick in the book to get them safely to bed, but ended up a impossible task, thinking of making a little box with a door to place underneath to keep them safe, but was wondering if anyone had any ramp ideas, I’m sure they would climb one if they didn’t keep slipping down, iv already made it less steep, but could I stick sandpaper on so they get a grip ? Sorry for long post but I couldn’t sleep last night because of worrying and need to sort something out today .

 

[hayley3]

Iv just made a big mistake, I had mama hen & 7 1week old chicks in a rabbit hutch, it was to small, so moved them to a bigger coop & run , they loved it and was able to act like chickens, every thing seemed perfect, but come bedtimes these little dots of chicks couldn’t get up the ramp, so mama hen settled down underneath, I tried every trick in the book to get them safely to bed, but ended up a impossible task, thinking of making a little box with a door to place underneath to keep them safe, but was wondering if anyone had any ramp ideas, I’m sure they would climb one if they didn’t keep slipping down, iv already made it less steep, but could I stick sandpaper on so they get a grip ? Sorry for long post but I couldn’t sleep last night because of worrying and need to sort something out today .

I know this is an older post, sorry your question was missed, but I think sandpaper might hurt their feet. I'm using a textured floor mat made for the garage, because I couldn't find anything else that was suitable. I can't get my chickens to go up or down my ramp either.

 

[rhart5344]

Add a lamp to the inside of the coop. If your coop is small a 60 watt bulb will work. I like red or yellow. This gives them a feeling of safety as they were in the brooder.Their curiosity will make them run towards the light