Predator proof a sliding barn door

vickivail98

In the Brooder
9 Years
Dec 12, 2010
23
3
26
Southern Michigan
Hello, I'm trying to figure out how to predator proof a large wooden barn door. The outside is metal but the door slides along the wooden framing inside. The rest of the barn is very solid, no entry points at all (set on a 12" deep foundation) and it would be much cheaper to just seal the sliding doors instead of hardware clothing all 4 stalls individually. I'm wondering if the best way might be to remove the tracks split the door and rehang them with piano hinges. That would still leave the bottom edge which needs some kind of seal. I'm trying to do this cheaply because I got a bit carried away ordering chicks for spring and I'm feeling broke!
 
How thick is the bottom of the door? Make a channel for the door to slide through and bolt it to the concrete floor.
Weasels and mink can get into a 1" gap. I had to do the same thing. Actually I made an extension for the bottom of the door that rubbed the concrete when the door was closed. The mink haven't gotten in since.
 
I have guide wheels at the base of each sliding door to keep the doors from swinging outward, and then I took two layers of 1" wide x 1/4" thick solid rubber stripping and filled the gap along the sides of the door where they meet the barn side. The bottom only has 1/4" clearance from the driveway, so not much can get in that way.
 
Hello!! I'm new on here and I will say I'm loving the forum.. This probably isn't the correct place to be asking my question though
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sorry! I don't have chickens but I am getting turkeys in a few days and they will be spending the nights in a shed which I have made got them. But I wanted to know whether does anyone know how foxes get on with bolts? Do I need to padlock the bolts the door or is the bolts safe enough? Thanks
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I'm a bit jealous of people that have no - or few - predators.

We have many species of hawks, mink, weasels, opossum, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, dogs, cats and though they're in the area, we have yet to be hit by bobcats, mountain lions and bears.
It's a constant battle.
 
We're just moving to this area so I'm not totally sure what our biggest predators will be but I'm guessing Just about everything except no big snakes here and no big cats. We do have roving dogs and toddlers though!
 
Hello!! I'm new on here and I will say I'm loving the forum.. This probably isn't the correct place to be asking my question though
1f61e.png
sorry! I don't have chickens but I am getting turkeys in a few days and they will be spending the nights in a shed which I have made got them. But I wanted to know whether does anyone know how foxes get on with bolts? Do I need to padlock the bolts the door or is the bolts safe enough? Thanks
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If you mean barrel bolts, foxes can't undo those. But they can jump over 6' from a sitting position. As others have said, raccoons can open latches, undo locks, open garage doors etc. For my doors I attach 2 different types of latches. My coop has 2 barrel bolts, one low and one high, and one spring loaded hook eye enclosure.
 
We're just moving to this area so I'm not totally sure what our biggest predators will be but I'm guessing Just about everything except no big snakes here and no big cats. We do have roving dogs and toddlers though!
I have lots of snakes and they aren't a problem. Actually they are in bigger danger from the chickens.

I can guarantee you have raccoons, fox, coyote, hawks, owls and likely weasel, mink, opossum.

If you mean barrel bolts, foxes can't undo those. But they can jump over 6' from a sitting position. As others have said, raccoons can open latches, undo locks, open garage doors etc. For my doors I attach 2 different types of latches. My coop has 2 barrel bolts, one low and one high, and one spring loaded hook eye enclosure.
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