How do I get my ducks up the ramp?

[bernie131]

Well I finished my gorgeous coop that I ordered online,..put it together, was not an option to make it flush with the ground so now they won't go up the ramp,..made stairs on the backside like they use to get in the pool but nope,. I put them in there and they jumped out and no food products so far has helped,..what else???

 

[cmom]

Their favorite treats up the ramp? That is how I got my birds to use their ramp.

 

[bernie131]

Their favorite treats up the ramp? That is how I got my birds to use their ramp.

Not working so far,..I need to lower the slope with so kind of traction devices for them not to slip

 

[CindyinSD]

I’m not sure ducks go up ramps for anything short of water, but maybe you can teach them to do that. They’re also somewhat reluctant to sleep inside but you do have to do that or they’ll eventually fall prey to some creature of the night.

Mine fairly cheerfully flop over the threshold of one of two chicken tractors to join the already-assembled chickens & turkeys for the night, but there are no ramps involved. Maybe if you physically put them inside every night for a week or so and they learn ‘climbing down,’ they’ll get used to it enough to eventually climb up on their own.

 

[CindyinSD]

Just saw your second comments. How steep is the ramp? I’m guessing the coop was built for chickens and that the ramp is fairly steep? Maybe if you post some pictures it would be easier to understand what you’ve got there.

 

[cmom]

Not working so far,..I need to lower the slope with so kind of traction devices for them not to slip

I had some old shingles and stapled them to my ramp.

 

[Cryss]

Try posting in the duck section here. You might get a bunch more duck people to answer.

I've seen your pictures. I'm not a duck person but I don't think ducks like climbing. I'd just cut the lower section away and put the main coop on the ground. Having experience with prefab coops I reccomend putting it up on bricks or something to keep it from touching the dirt. The wood they build with softens and rots. Just keep it as low as possible so the ducks will go inside.
Good luck!

 

[chickens really]

I have Ramps and all my Ducks use them. They definitely need to be wider and not too steep. My Ramps have rungs attached closer together for short duck legs..

 

[bernie131]

I had some old shingles and stapled them to my ramp.

Awesome, I have lots of them,..how does it work?

 

[bernie131]

I had some old shingles and stapled them to my ramp.

Does the shingles or staples irritate their feet?