4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[mollyripkim]

Hi everyone, really excited as just ordered cube at ideal home show (have Go at the moment) but now slightly worried that my silkie girls will find the ladder too hard to use. Lovely lady on stand assured me they won't be too cold in winter in the bigger space but forgot to ask about ladder. Does anyone else have silkies in a cube, your experience would be great. Thanks.

[Space Chick]

They manage it no problem

[mollyripkim]

That's brilliant, thank you so much!

[TheFeatheredFiend]

On the contrary, it seems to be the larger, heavier hens that can struggle with the cube ladder while the light little chickens can hop up with no problem.

When we were researching the cube before buying we came across several stories of injured hens, even broken legs from slipping on the ladder, getting a leg caught then the weight of the hen snapping the bone.

 

And indeed when we introduced our girls it was a wet day and we immediately noticed them slipping on the ladder, especially when going down and especially the big Orpington girls.

 

To remedy this the OH has wrapped the rungs in pieces cut from non-slip rubber car mats secured with cable-ties. Works a treat and the ladies can now get up and down the ladder without slipping.

[mollyripkim]

That sounds like a good idea, thank you.