Ramps and silkies

[Seaecho]

Well, we have the coop done, and now are planning the run. It's proving to be the most difficult. Since I'll have Silkies, (and I hear they can't fly) I'll have to have a ramp, even though the coop is only about 18" high. What angle should the ramp be at? 45 degrees? Can silkies handle that?

 

[MageofMist]

My silkies can, though they only really fly when they REALLY want to get somewhere fast, like when one wandered off as I am putting out treats... I never thought a silkie chicken could fly, or move that fast!

As for height, my silkies can jump onto the back of dining chairs that are around 4 ft tall from just jumping and flapping from a standstill, and am sure they could reach higher elevations if they felt like it.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Our coop entrance is a foot and two inches off of the ground,(no ramp) and the silkies manage just fine. They also manage to perch on round bales (the small sort, about three feet up) with no difficulty.

 

[Seaecho]

Even very young Silkies? I'm not sure what age I'll end up with, depending on what the breeder has available when I'm ready for them. I'd hate have young ones that I put outside around 6-8 weeks of age, and have them not go up into the coop at night.

 

[drumstick diva]

Sometimes it makes a big difference if you have sides to the ramp. Even low ones.
Silkies and probably polish don't see as well because of big crests etc. Going up a ramp must be like fearing the world is flat and we can fall off.

Also use a light on timer that maybe gives them 20 minutes to return to coop and go up the ramp. Generally silkies don't like to roost high up either. Their feathered wings aren't good for flying- often they prefer to lie in a a corner , on the floor, in a group to keep warm.

 

[Hokum Coco]

What angle should the ramp be at?

A good rule of thumb in a perfect world if possible:
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."

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Generally silkies don't like to roost high up either. Their feathered wings aren't good for flying- often they prefer to lie in a a corner , on the floor, in a group to keep warm.

All of the silkies that I have had always roosted on the highest roosts in their coop.

 

[Seaecho]

Well, hubby and I are just about ready to give up. It's too hard to explain, but we can't seem to be able to fit a cage door opening onto the door of the coop. We get going, and suddenly there's another dead end. EVERY time! We've tried all kinds of things with the 4 ft. and 7 ft. cage we have, and nothing is working. So I don't know if I'll end up with chickens after all

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

That’s too bad. Maybe we can help you out if you post some pictures.

 

[Seaecho]

I'll do that tomorrow! The thing is, the cage we were going to butt up to the coop opening is caved in slightly, making a gap of nearly three inches where a chick could fall through. (It would be very hard to take an accurate pic of it). The gap starts out at less than 2 inches, and gets wider. We tried putting pieces of 2x4's in there, and it tended to push the cage out further in the wrong direction! If you can think of any material we could stuff in there that wouldn't be destroyed by weather, throw out the ideas! Hubby says maybe cut a piece of 1/2" wire, curved, to cover up that area. I still want chickens--I was just really bummed out when I posted this. I'm sure we'll come up with something.