My hens won’t use the ladder and 2 have bumble foot!

[Debbie292d]

Our ladders are solid boards about 8" wide with slats about every 5". I know our silkies would try yours though but it's easier on the solid kind for them as they just walk up and down, no jumping as they aren't good at that anyway.

This is ours, when it was new.

 

[Loving my girls]

Our ladders are is a solid boards about 8" wide with slats about every 5". I know our silkies would try yours though but it's easier on the solid kind for them as they just walk up and down, no jumping as they aren't good at that anyway.

This is ours, when it was new.
View attachment 3935292

We have a ladder at the moment but my camera shows they go down two rungs and then jump. I am currently in the process of planning a major update and will be replacing the ladder with the ‘thingy’ shown in the picture.

 

[Shadrach]

I would be inclined to make the roof of the nest boxes flat; the slope is wasted space and lower the roost bar platform to the height of the revised nest box roof. You could then make a ramp rather than a ladder which should be not too steep for the chickens to use.
Do remove the sharp edges on the roost bars and anywhere else the chicken are likely to tread.

 

[Debbie292d]

I would be inclined to make the roof of the nest boxes flat; the slope is wasted space and lower the roost bar platform to the height of the revised nest box roof. You could then make a ramp rather than a ladder which should be not too steep for the chickens to use.
Do remove the sharp edges on the roost bars and anywhere else the chicken are likely to tread.

I've had some in the past ask me where the roosts are. We took the two out, as they all like to perch atop the nest boxes or on the rail in front of them, and a couple in the nests. (Silkies!)

It's not hard to clean with a 4" putty knife. I found that stall refresher stuff works pretty nice, too, so I sprinkle that up there and on the walkway.