Ramp Steepness

[lindseyawest]

Hey all, I'm planning on using a 2x6 to create a ramp with 1x2 strips perpendicular up and down the ramp (not sure if I'm explaining it right, but a very standard ramp from what I've seen of other coops). My question, though, is how steep can that ramp be? The coop is basically a square and the run is a rectangle, but with the wind directions and sun direction, the best place for the coop is basically against one of the long walls, so I don't have a lot of space in front of the coop for the ramp (woops). It should be sufficient, but I'd like to see if I can give them more space and not run the ramp directly to the fence. The top of the ramp will be about 2 3/4 feet off the ground, so I'm trying to figure out how short I can get away with making the ramp...

 

[MaLoTu]

I am also interested in this. My coop is 2 feet off the ground. I also would like it to be as short as possible.

I am inclined to believe that they will manage no matter how steep it is (within reason). They can fly after all!

 

[redsix]

I'm thinking no steeper than 45 degrees, which is 1 ft. rise for every 1 ft. horizontal.

 

[lindseyawest]

I'm thinking no steeper than 45 degrees, which is 1 ft. rise for every 1 ft. horizontal.

So by that standard, if the ramp needed to get up to an opening 2.5 feet high, it should be 2.5 feet long, right?

 

[TalkALittle]

No. Imagine it as a right triangle. You can solve for any side by using the formula a^2+b^2=c^2 where a=the height to the bottom of the door, b=the length on the ground from the door to the end of the ramp, and c=the length of the ramp. For a 45 degree incline a and b would be equal.

 

[redsix]

The ramp would represent the hypotenuse of a right triangle that is 2.5 ft. on each side. The ramp needs to be 3.5 ft. long.

 

[TalkALittle]

The ramp would represent the hypotenuse of a right triangle that is 2.5 ft. on each side.  The ramp needs to be 3.5 ft. long. 

You're not supposed to just give them the answer!
Haven't you ever heard that saying, "Teach a man to fish..."?

 

[lindseyawest]

Haha, thanks all. More sleep needed - wasn't even thinking about right triangles and didn't understand that you meant the bottom of the triangle; that makes much more sense, though. And thank you redsix for saving me the task of whipping out my calculator.