When is a ramp needed?

[gpeled]

Building my first coop, one thing that isn't clear to me is how much height difference can chickens just hop around, vs when would you need a ramp.
Specifically what I'm building is 5 feel long, 3 feet wide, 6 feet tall (say 5 since losing almost one for deep litter). The nesting box is about 3 feet high, and the perching poles 3.5-4 high .

As for the chicken door into the coop (which opens to a large fenced run area during daytime), I can still chose whether to position it at ground level or higher.

I was thinking putting the door about 1-2 feet above ground, and then have ramps going both down and up. Possibly both to nesting box level and perch level.

Not sure if that is an overkill. Or if there are any gotchas to be aware of. Appreciate any thoughts/inputs!
Thanks
GUY

 

[cavemanrich]

Here are some of my thoughts. Your coop is not very large, so there are other factors to consider as well.
I suggest you consider lowering your nesting boxes (bottom) to about 12 to 16 inches above where the DL will be. I think 6 inches DL is more than enough. You then Install your roost bar about 6 to 8 inches above Nesting boxes. You do not plan any poop trays since you are choosing DL. If you do have poop trays/boards, then you would just scrape the gumdrops onto the floor. (reason to have DL).
You can install intermediate height perches or landing areas so that chickens can hop up easily to roost. One at lower height of nesting box would be ideal.
If your roosts are high, and the area below is small, chickens will not always choose to go down ramps, which can cause them to fly/crash into walls possibly on their way down. There is no reason to make high roosts inside a coop. Chickens will be happy if they are on the highest possible spot. Extra height does not translate to extra happiness.
Make your pop door opening so that it is about 4 inches above the DL height inside. Outside, you may just need a cinder block or similar to provide a landing spot to enter pop door.
WISHING YOU BEST and ,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Howard E]

Do you have a sketch of the coop you are planning, or can hand draw one? Might help some of us envision what you are thinking.

But as to your original question, ramps to get to pop doors are iconic and because they are seen in lots of old cartoons.........in my avatar, the coop shown behind the fox stealing the chickens was drawn with such a ramp......drawings, sketches, etc. (as are ladder style roosts), they are often considered essential. In most cases, they are not. For some reason, we expect birds to fly up as high as 2, 3 or 4 feet or more to get to roosts. Others are known to fly up onto buildings, into trees and over fences, but if the ramp concept is to be believed, they can't fly a foot or so off the ground to get to the pop hole? They can.

If it is more than hopping height (my birds hop the 6 inches to the pop door.....more like run straight through it without slowing down......or easily hop through the people door), you can always leave them a small door step or platform to land on.....just outside and below the pop door......and they can use that to fly to and from. My daughter has a small, elevated coop and her big old fat birds have to hop about 30 inches to the platform outside the pop door. They do it with ease.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I've observed my birds hopping well over 2 feet with regularity. Some can hop 3ft. Can hop up doesn't equal should hop down though, their feet are easily injured and you have limited glide path.

I have some very high roosting areas(over 4 feet) I planned before I really educated myself. I'd have done that differently. I've found you can train them to use the ramps to go down, but life right now would be easier if I didn't have to! I've had to usher heavy birds down the ramps repeatedly until they got the habit and stopped trying to fly down. They have a long flight path but it's still too high for the heavy cochins and Brahmas. The little Easter eggers fly like sparrows both up and down. Even with ramps and ladders up some are still floor sleeping even though nearing 20 weeks.

Just more food for thought, you already have good advice above. Hey welcome to BYC!

 

[aart]

Here's my thought on how high stuff should be....
.....they can jump up pretty easy, but need landing/wing spread space to get down.
3' width is tight, even 4' can be tight.