High entry - confusion

[Gammond]

Does anyone else have issues with high coop entrances?

We have one of our school bus chicken coop windows propped open.. the chickens who started in the bus figure it out, but only half the chicks and broody hens figure out how to get back in. We can even put them in the bus at night, but they don't go back in the next night.

There is a ladder/ramp that runs along side of the bus. I am tempted to cut a hole in the side so it's 3-4 feet lower.

What would you do?

 

[azygous]

Cut an entrance 3-4 feet lower.

 

[oregonkat]

Please post a pic. of your coop! Did you redo the inside with roosting bars etc?

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

Is that the only way out? Do you have a landing area for them just under the door on the outside and inside?
I don't have any problems but the chooks have to exit the same way they get into the coop, through the high door. The landing space is 3 ft. square. I may have a little trouble later on since I plan on raising the entrance/exit another 3 feet because some snakes managed to get inside through the current door.

 

[Gammond]

Please post a pic. of your coop! Did you redo the inside with roosting bars etc?

This was taken before winter last year - we received the bus gutted, so it was easy enough for my husband to modify it!

They go on the roosts as soon as they get in the bus, so no jumping required - just to get off the roosts.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

That's a cool chicken coop.

 

[aart]

How old are the chicks?
I'd bet it'll just take a few days for the broody to get the chicks up the ramp....if some can do it, the others can.
Have had a broody abandon chicks out in the run, instead of getting them up the ramp.
Had to put portable nest outside to get them all back together, then carry nest inside.
She didn't take them back out for a few more days, then they all got back in.

 

[Gammond]

How old are the chicks?
I'd bet it'll just take a few days for the broody to get the chicks up the ramp....if some can do it, the others can.
Have had a broody abandon chicks out in the run, instead of getting them up the ramp.
Had to put portable nest outside to get them all back together, then carry nest inside.
She didn't take them back out for a few more days, then they all got back in.

Only about half the chicks have figured it out.. I had to put food outside, as I almost had a chicken starve to death! I picked her up and she was light as a feather and acting weird. They sleep in a big pine tree in the run... some are 3 months old already. For crying out loud.. haha

 

[aart]

Only about half the chicks have figured it out.. I had to put food outside, as I almost had a chicken starve to death! I picked her up and she was light as a feather and acting weird. They sleep in a big pine tree in the run... some are 3 months old already. For crying out loud.. haha

By 3 months the broody has probably weaned them.....pecking order and crowding are 2 possibilities that keep them out of the coop.

 

[member 373180]

I have a weird ramp that newbies have trouble with, too. I put a light inside the coop and then go out in the run with a red headlamp, pick the stragglers up from wherever they've decided to roost, and put them at the top of the ramp. They follow the light into the coop. It usually only takes a couple nights of this until they have it figured out.
Cool coop!