My first coop

[jdlong27]

Now I'm concerned. If they can't navigate an 8' ladder/ramp with rungs approximately every 8", how in the world are they going to get on and off of a roost 40-something inches off the ground??

 

[aart]

Now I'm concerned. If they can't navigate an 8' ladder/ramp with rungs approximately every 8", how in the world are they going to get on and off of a roost 40-something inches off the ground??

Is your roost 40" or the poop board under it?

I had to quick hack up some ~8" wide ramps when I realized, 1 hour after bring my first flock home, the ~36" high roost board was too high to fly down in a 6' wide coop without crashing into the wall. Some use the ramp some jump down.

The crate that the ramps go to is about 18" high, they have no problem jumping down from that.
The perch to the left is for the nests, I have since changed it out to a 2x4.

 

[jdlong27]

Ok. I'll have to make something. It's about 38" to the "lip" of the poop board. Thanks for the pics too! It really helps.

 

[tracecom]

Post deleted.

 

[aart]

Ok. I'll have to make something. It's about 38" to the "lip" of the poop board. Thanks for the pics too! It really helps.

I think you have room to do this in your coop along the wall, you could even attach the 'platform' to the wall.

One thing you can't see in the pic, that crate 'platform' is on 2x2 legs so is open underneath.

 

[aart]

I am having a similar problem. My coop is 4' wide and 8' long, and the roost pole runs parallel to the long wall and is about 12" from it. The poop board is 9"under the roost pole and is 24" wide and 36" off the floor. I built a 15" by 17" platform against one of the 4' walls that is 9" from the poop board, and a ramp from the platform to the floor. My chickens insist on flying up and down from the poop board, completely ignoring the platform and the ramp...except when they crash into it. My 10 pullets and 1 roo are only about half grown, and I am afraid they are going to be hurt with this behavior. However, I don't know how to fix the problem without building a bigger coop (which is what I should have done.) Suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

@tracecom I would suggest you start a new thread to gather suggestions, post pics of your setup and give the details there.

It would generate more views, and be more polite, than being in buried in jdlong27's thread.

 

[blackwpk]

I made a couple roost ladders for them to get up and down to/from the roosts. They are 6wks old now and love roosting on the ladders for now.

 

[jdlong27]

Well I thought it would be Tuesday before any real progress was made. I hate it when I'm right. >:|

I did get a barrel to start building the waterer and the PVC plumbing pieces and nipples.

I also hauled a trailer load of pallets home. I'm thinking picket fence. (Around the garden. Yeah a little off topic but all I had to share for now.)

 

[blackwpk]

Wow, nice! I would have never thought that for fencing, great idea!

 

[aart]

Lots of ways to use pallets as fencing.