Need help: where should a ramp go?

[and-roo]

This is the rabbit hutch that I'm turning into a chicken coop for our new house when we move:

(I know its dirty, but I used the left half as a brooder last two springs)
It's about 2.5 ft. Off the ground and I have two options:
1. Cut the legs shorter (about half), cut a door out of one side, and build a ramp going down from there.
2. Cut a hole in the bottom and make a long ramp going down underneath it.
What I wanna know is, has anyone made a ramp like this underneath? I've tried to find pictures but haven't had much luck. If anyone can post pictures of their ramps from underneath their coops or if you have found pictures of something like it, I would totally appreciate it. I need some inspiration!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi,

I've seen photos with the ramps underneath the coop, as you describe. You may just need to teach your chickens how to use it (put scratch or treats on the ramp). I'm sure there must be photos in the coop section?

Seems like it would be easier to lop off the legs a bit, but I'm lazy by nature!

All the best

CT

 

[Jensownzoo]

If I were doing this, I would go with a method that let me put a door in one of the vertical walls, both so I didn't lose floor space and so I wouldn't take up space under the coop that the chickens could use for shade/rain. Just a thought.

 

[Hokum Coco]

This is the rabbit hutch that I'm turning into a chicken coop for our new house when we move:
I need some inspiration!

A good rule of thumb in a perfect world:
Make your ramp twice as long as the drop which would give you a 6/12 pitch and an angle of 22.5º.
"A 4x4 block attached to the end of your ramp to make a step up will do a lot to reduce the slope also."

With a landing apron or roost in front of your pop door roughly a 2.5 foot jump most adult chickens are able to spring up to that hight. The problem comes in teaching and motivating them in doing so.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I've seen photos with the ramps underneath the coop, as you describe. You may just need to teach your chickens how to use it (put scratch or treats on the ramp). I'm sure there must be photos in the coop section?

All the best

Good post I agree if you plan to screen in the bottom legs of your hutch and convert it into a chicken tractor

I would leave the legs as is I am even lazier than CTKen.

Not only am I lazier but if you go the tractor method you may need the extra height for feeders or waters depending on your final set up.

There are also advantages and disadvantages in having your feed and water inside and outside the coop.

The ramp beneath the chicken tractor can be hinged and be used as a door to cover the hole in the floor to give added protection against predators at night if you deem it necessary.

It all depends on how you are going to manage your hens in the long run.

Free ranging, chicken tractors and stand alone coops, all have their advantages and disadvantages.

 

[aart]

If I were doing this, I would go with a method that let me put a door in one of the vertical walls, both so I didn't lose floor space and so I wouldn't take up space under the coop that the chickens could use for shade/rain. Just a thought.

Ditto Dat^^^

 

[and-roo]

Thanks you all! Although I like the idea of a chicken tractor, we're moving into a smaller almost suburban type house so they're going to have to stay in one spot, but I am thinking I should keep it as high as it is for easy access and for space under the coop. I did find some good examples of a ramp underneath and I think I'll do that, the challenge is just figuring out where to put it and how to make it so that it can close...

 

[aart]

Thanks you all! Although I like the idea of a chicken tractor, we're moving into a smaller almost suburban type house

so they're going to have to stay in one spot, but I am thinking I should keep it as high as it is for easy access and for space under the coop. I did find some good examples of a ramp underneath and I think I'll do that, the challenge is just figuring out where to put it and how to make it so that it can close...

That will really reduce the already very small amount of floor space you already have.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Thanks you all! Although I like the idea of a chicken tractor,

I personally would enlarge the run beyond the current footprint of the hutch and have the pop door on the vertical walls with a guillotine type door. The door in the floor is a recipe for heartache in my opinion (then again it is hard to estimate scale from a photo.) Hope you find a tractor on the site that would be a model to incorporate what you already have.

If you can find the time add a photo on your completed project curious to see what you finally decide.
Good luck Back Yard Buddy.

 

[and-roo]

That will really reduce the already very small amount of floor space you already have.

The floor now is about 3x6 (I took out the divider and all the other wire stuff) so it's actually kinda big... and I don't plan on having too many chickens, maybe 5, no more than 6. My coop now is bigger, but the floor is 4x4 and I have 13 chickens... so I don't think it's that big of a problem.

Hokum coco, trying to figure out just HOW to put a door underneath gives me a headache. I'm definitely going to make the run bigger than just underneath the coop, there's no way they would only get that small space. The coop I have now has that guillotine type door that works perfectly, but I don't wanna make a ramp going out the side if I'm going to leave it at the height it is...I'm just making it harder for myself. I think I'm gonna ask my dad what he thinks and we can work on it together...