Need coop help/advice

[Savedbygrace]

Hi everyone I need some help with coop modifications please I recently got four call ducks, they are darling and we really like them. My husband went and bought me this coop a couple days ago and it's a good size for them and lets them be near the garden where we can enjoy them and I hope to let them wander around the garden in the summer to eat bugs

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/precision-pet-farm-house-coop?cm_vc=-10005

My only concern is they are unable to navigate the ramp and one of our goals in getting these is to hatch ducklings. Any ideas on how I can modify that ramp to make it work? As it is my husband added wood under the ladder to make it a ramp but they just tumble down it in the morning and stay outside all day, one of the girls has started laying in the coop and I'm concerned about how she can set if she can't get up and down the ramp. I'm going to try to out shelf liner on it today and see if it helps, but it's at such an angle for little ducks. Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[tmorgan46]

The only thing I could think to do is somehow limit the slope of the ramp. Perhaps have your husband build an "L" shaped ramp with a small platform at the L junction. The ramp needs length added to it so it's not so steep and with it being enclosed, then you're limited where that can happen. I hope that makes sense. Or another option is to cut out the wire where the ramp enters and then replace the existing ramp with one that is longer and then solve the enclosure problem. This just makes one problem now two or three though. Can your ducks navigate steps? Maybe build a succession of steps that are 3 or 4 inches high for each step.
I've seen those at TSC and have been tempted, you just helped me see something that doesn't stand out!! So at least for that, thank you!

Hope this helps a little bit. Our Muscovies and geese leaned to navigate a long ramp with relative ease. So I know its possible.

Troy & Tina

 

[Savedbygrace]

Well what we did was make an L shaped ramp, we lifted the ramp that came with the coop so it was at much less and incline, and using the two perches that come with it supported that ramp and built a small deck platform, from the platform we attached another ramp (which we made ourselves) and them we covered all the ramps and platform with shelf liner. The ducks came down much easier today and I even saw one going up the ramp of its own accord! Yay! I can try to get more detailed pictures if anyone is interested in doing this.