shona Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Help! I've just got my new purple cube and I so love it, have saved for a very long time for it. I've got 4 silkies, my little darlings, and they absolutely hate the ladder. Don't know what to do. Has anyone got any suggestions, would be very grateful for any advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 A flowerpot or breezeblock at the bottom of the ladder can help Extra rungs lashed on is an option But most of the people I know who have small bantams have added a ramp over the ladder Silkies have more trouble than most as their ragged feathers dont make up a nice flappy wing so where other chickens will use their wings to get lift up the ladder Silkies have a harder time of things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I did as Redwing says and made a ramp from some picket fence type lawn edging but the bantams jump half way up it anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 My little ones always hated it so I rang flight so fancy and they made me a lovely one for them. Cost £25.00, beautifully made and no problems for them at all now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 My OH made a ramp for my Cube out of a plank of wood with some battens screwed on across the plank (bit like an old fashioned ships gang plank) and attached it over the Cubes ladder with a bracket. There's a picture on the forum somewhere of this construction under a thread about Ex batts. I'm sure one of the techie minded types on here could track it down if not PM me and I'll get the OH to upload some pics for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
good_egg Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 as suggested by someone on here we used plastic garden netting over it for the first bit while my girls were little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I put foam pipe insulation across each rung. It doesn't last forever, but lasted until they got the idea. Now they are up and down all the time - no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken deficient Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I have several small Pekins, with really short legs. They all manage the ladder fine, though it did take a little while for them to get used to it. Now they flap / hop onto the bottom rung and then walk up the steps with alternate legs - like you would going up stairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Dav Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 For under our cube ladder, I bought a cheap wooden shoe rack from Argos. It does an ideal job plus the girls love perching on it during the day - so I have a couple more around their large run in shaded areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shona Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Thank you all so much for the great advice. I've attached a piece of large carpet tile up the ladder covering the rungs and they still hate it, they're also struggling on the roosting trays as there is a deeper drop to the poop trays and their legs are going through, it's much shallower in their eglu go. So again tonight I've had to lift them to bed and they're not happy. Can really see me selling the cube and going back to their eglu go, they were so happy in it and went to bed themselves before it was dark each night. I'm really fed up, wanted to improve their lives not make them miserable and stressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken deficient Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 How long have you had your Cube for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shona Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 I know it's not very long, but had it a week. Don't know how to help them get used to it. Off to look for a log to put at bottom of ladder to see if that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken deficient Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Don't despair and don't worry! I'm sure a log will help. Chickens are creatures of habit - if they'd previously lived in a cardboard box, at this stage they'd still be preferring that . One things chickens can't resist is roosting up high at night - I am sure they will be fine with the ladder in the end. Leave them a bit longer to work it out tonight - when you feel you want to lift them in, don't, but instead go indoors and then check them again an hour later - see if any have worked it out by then. Only lift them in if it is way past dark and they are still outside. Seriously if my Pekins can manage it with their short little legs, I think any chicken would manage. My neighbours hens insist on roosting on the roof of her coop at night, and it is certainly not an easy journey for them to get up there! She has to lift them off at put them to bed each evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken deficient Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I suppose it will take them a bit longer to get the hang of it, because they are Silkies and can't use their wings for lift. The log at the bottom should solve that problem though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimnpaula Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Click the pic to see a pallet wood ramp and mezzanine made for our ex batts. The ramp just rests on the ground and the top rung of the ladder, and they loved that mezzanine and slept on it during the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shona Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 Thank you for the pics jimnpaula, your set-up looks great. Well I've got the log in place so we'll see what happens tonight! What this space!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shona Posted April 24, 2013 Author Share Posted April 24, 2013 Well it didn't work. Shut them in the run with their corn just before dark and they were still sitting in run at midnight so lifted each one onto bottom of ladder and patted their bottoms to get them up it!!!!!! My neighbours will think I'm mad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken deficient Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Oh no! I was sure at least one would have worked it out . Maybe give Omlet a call and see what they suggest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 I don't have a cube, but do have 5 pekins and two 'double-deck' Eglu's. I constructed a wooden ramp for the top Eglu from some old wood, which the Pekins got the hang of quite quickly. Picture below.... As your lot are struggling, I suggest you get some something that is long to start with, so the slope is gentle. Then, as they get the hang of things, you can shorten it, making it steeper. Also, they may find it easier if they learn how to come down the ramp in the mornings before trying to work out how to go up at night when they are tired. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimnpaula Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Hmm, perhaps the old "torch in the coop" trick might encourage them to move up the ladder towards the light P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shona Posted April 24, 2013 Author Share Posted April 24, 2013 Thank you everyone for all your suggestions. I do have a touch light in the cube they were used to one in their Eglu go as well. there has been some progress today, one of them went into cube to lay this morning i lifted another in to lay and one went in late this afternoon and has gone broody so didn't come out again. one went to bed herself tonight that left two, put one at bottom of ladder on log and she went up and left the other in the run she didn't take long to go up the ladder didn't want to be left on her own. So it's only 9.30pm and they're all in bed. You don't know how happy I am!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimnpaula Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Yay well done girls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken deficient Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Yippee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Night night girls, you've all got to do it tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charly1979 Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 I use an old ramp from a G. Pig hutch but I am LOVIN the pic just posted with their own balcony think my girlies would love that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
