I have 2 questions...they might seem dumb, but I would like to know...

[kiaya611]

Do chickens need ramps to get to their nest boxes and roosts (nests are 22" off of the ground and the roost is 24" off of the ground).

Does it hurt chickens to jump down 2' from a roost or nest box?

On the second question, I saw somewhere that they can injure themselves if they have to jump down too far. I can provide a ramp, but I was wondering if they would use it if it were there.

Thanks,

 

[Alisha in Cali]

Your question doesn't seem dumb, it's very sensible. Yes, chickens can jump up into nest boxes and onto perches, but I offer them little ramps just in case. Most of them don't use them, but I like them to have the choice. The larger breeds are the ones you need to really worry about. Some of the big breeds like brahmas shouldn't have really high perches since when they jump down all time they can end up with leg problems. A lot of it really depends on your breeds.

 

[kstaven]

With ramps and perches some chickens do not like them if they don't offer a good grip.

Heavy bodied birds tend to do better with easier access or lower nest boxes.

 

[beckt]

Just make sure the bedding on the coop floor is deep. This will help cushion their feet & legs. My roosts are 24" high but my nest boxes are on ground level. I use the covered cat boxes & my girls have no problems.