How long will it take for them to learn to go up or down the ramp?!!!

[elabraleon]

OK, so my husband built a FANTASTIC coop for our 4 hens this fall. But he never built them a ramp.

So 2 weeks ago, give or take, i built a lovely ramp myself. My chickens are 20 weeks, and I had been taking them in and out of their coop by hand until they were 18 wks. Every day since, I have been forcing the poor gals to go up and down the ramp. The girls act like I'm trying to kill them. One of them sort of climbs up by herself once I herd her to the ramp and pick her up and place her on it. The others just squawk and scream bloody murder till they flap and flop their way into or out of the coop.
A couple days ago I let it start to get dusky outside before putting them away, in hopes that they would at least go over to their coop and attempt to put themselves to bed. When I went out there, they were on the porch near our sliding door, perched on our patio chairs.

How can I get them to go into their coop on their own? How long will this process take?

 

[Ohhhdear]

Try the Hansel & Gretel approach... a trail of scratch or BOSS or some other yummy treat they can't resist, going up the ramp and into the coop.

 

[Sorin]

I was wondering if since you built the ramp do you still let them down in the morning or do they go down on their own? If you are putting them down, then I would just open the door for them in the morning and let them go down on their own. That will help get them used to going up the ramp. If they are already going down the ramp on their own then it might take a little more time. When I got my first batch of pullets they were 8 weeks old and it took me 3 weeks to get them to perch on the roost on thier own. It also took about a week for them to get used to the ramp. Don't get discouraged, just keep working, they'll get the hang of it. The treats up the ramp is a good idea too. Find something they really like. Mine love halved grapes! ( I had to teach them that too, that grapes were good LOL)

 

[plymouthrocksrock]

I agree with ohhhdear, some tasty treat will get them on the ramp. I would try hanging some lettuce right above the ramp, so they can only get to it from the ramp, or spreading a trail of scratch, (in my case, flax seed, which my girls adore,) up the ramp.

Sorin174, mine like grapes too! We have a grape vine growing on the coop roof, and the girls even jump up to the nest boxes to reach the tasty treats!

Good luck!!!

 

[Sorin]

Sorry,

I just noticed you said you are making them go down the ramp. I would think if you opened the door and left them alone they would eventually go down on their own. Mine won't let anything stop them from going outside, even foul weather. I hope this helps

Good luck!

 

[elabraleon]

Quote:
Yes, I tried just opening up the door, but they wouldn't go down. they stayed in the coop all day with the door open. silly birds! I tried putting treats on the ramp too, but they are just so spooked by it, they would crane their necks to try to reach the tempting snacks, but not climb onto the ramp to get the treats farther down.

Tonight again, I waited to see if they would go to bed on their own, but alas, they were waiting, huddled at the back slider, for me to come out and put them to bed...
funny chickens.

 

[elabraleon]

I would try hanging some lettuce right above the ramp

ooooh, this I havent tried yet...

 

[dwdoc]

I went with a two pronged approach:

1. I put treats on the ramp.

2. To get them to go up at night I put a white 25W light inside the coop; they followed the light into the coop where they felt safe. After an hour the timer automatically turned the light out. Kept this up for a week and now they go up and down the ramp as they please - with no light.

Good luck.

 

[elabraleon]

All my girls got out of their coop and PUT THEMSELVES TO BED today!!

SO Proud!! only took 3 or 4 weeks to learn

 

[jojo54]

Woo Hoo! Sometimes they have to learn at their own speed!