Why won’t they use their ramp ?

[NameIwish]

Hi everyone,
I have a crazy question. After spending months designing a major upgrade and extension to my girls home and just as long doing it I have hit a problem that I am hoping you can help with.
They won’t use the ramp !
It has been carefully designed, it’s 40cm wide - plenty wide enough for my medium sized hens, at an angle of 40 degrees before it gets to the 80cm high shelf (60cm deep) which holds the perch. The ramp has steppers about every 20cm which are a 2cm high and 2cm deep.
Instead of using the ramp they jump/flutter up and down.

What do they want ? A lift ?

The best laid plans of Mice and Men Gang Aft Aglea

They may not be aware that ramp use is mandatory.

They may just figure, the ramp's for you - 'cause you can't flutter and fly.

Then again, they may try it next week - maybe on a Friday - and learn to love it.

 

[tripler5064]

Hi everyone,
I have a crazy question. After spending months designing a major upgrade and extension to my girls home and just as long doing it I have hit a problem that I am hoping you can help with.
They won’t use the ramp !
It has been carefully designed, it’s 40cm wide - plenty wide enough for my medium sized hens, at an angle of 40 degrees before it gets to the 80cm high shelf (60cm deep) which holds the perch. The ramp has steppers about every 20cm which are a 2cm high and 2cm deep.
Instead of using the ramp they jump/flutter up and down.

What do they want ? A lift ?

The pitch may be too steep 30 degree or less is better plus steppers may be to far apart 7 inches is a stretch for a chicken.

 

[Borders3]

I totally agree with the steppers being too far apart and too much of an incline. Watch your chickens walking and you will see the distance they will need to be apart. I have poop boards so all mine fly onto that then hop onto the roost. I also have vinyl on the floor and poop boards, a small amount of chopped straw as a cushion landing mixed with the sand and hemp bedding that gets kicked off the poop board.

 

[Delphene]

Instead of using the ramp they jump/flutter up and down.

What do they want? A lift?

You probably don't need the ramp but if you want it you will have to make a bigger one probably. You also might want to give them some time, I don't know how long the ramp has been there but if it has only been there for a little you should consider waiting and letting them get used to it.

Hope this helps!

 

[townchicks]

Your hubby may actually be on to something. If you wrap the air mattress with 2 fitted sheets, one on top and one on the bottom, that should protect it from toenails and keep it easy to clean. You can take it away during the day and set it in place after they go to bed, so it's there when they get up. A lot of hassle to my mind but that's just me. Only a couple of my hens have ever used a ramp to get up to the coop, and none have ever used it to get down. They actually act like it gets in the way, they'll jump off to either side instead. You can't make them do it if it doesn't make sense to them.

 

[Loving my girls]

Go to Carolina Coops website and make or buy the stairs. My girls have no problem with steps. I think the ramps are slippery

Ooohhh what a lovely website, fortunately they don’t deliver to France or I could spend obscene amounts of money

 

[Bawkbok]

Our girls wouldn't use the ladder so we created a ramp from an old wooden privacy fence board, pressure treated pine, approximately 6" wide. We applied the exterior non skid tape to it and our ramp is also at approximately a 35 degree angle. They have no problem with it. We also have a perch approximately 8" away from the mid-way height of the ramp, which one of the girls sometimes uses to land on the ramp for roosting. They all walk down the ramp in the morning. It doesn't really get dirty but when I feel the need to clean it, I use a soft bristled brush and some Dawn and water, dirt brushes right off but this is really not necessary.