Can I use a Chicken Flap??

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huntsman

huntsman

Songster
11 Years
Jan 8, 2010
211
1
171
South Africa
Well, you get cat flaps, so why not chicken flaps, right?

Having just about finished my en suite sleeping accommodation for Le Flock, I suddenly came up with the idea of using a flap of, say, heavy plastic sheeting as the 'door' to the sleeping quarters, but then I have no idea if chooks will push past the flap/s to enter and leave.

Let me clarify: The run is fenced in, and now that I have built a coop with an adjoining wall, I have cut a hole in the fencing and will cut a small doorway into the - new - coop. At first, I planned to have a door sliding up and down each morning and evening, so the chooks can move between the run and the coop, but then figured on taking strips of heavy duty plastic and hanging it in front of the opening on a permanent basis.

This way, the chooks can enter and leave at will, but there will at least be a wind break. Their run is totally secure, BTW.

Point is...will it work?!
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Yes, many people use versions of this (including me), just be aware you may well have to put it into action gradually so they can slowly learn to push through it. This is more easily done for a curtain or flexible flap than for a rigid flap. You can pin one corner way up at first, or clip it up so it doesn't hang down too far, or install only one of several strips at first, or whatever works best for your particular setup. Give them time to figure it out -- you may have to manually chuck them through it a few times if they are stubborn/stupid about it -- but over a period of days or weeks you can gradually work towards the final state of the thing and have the chickens be willing to go through it.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat
 
I have not seen this done before but it sounds like a good idea. I say give it a try, show the birds how to come and go and make sure it's not too difficult to move back and forth. I have the sliding door that goes up and down every day/night. They come and go as they please during the day, alot and sometimes more than one tries to squeeze through so with a flap there may be more pushing and shoving since they cant see whats on the other side. But, In theory it sounds like a good idea to me. (predator issue aside as a flap will not keep one out given they break into the run area - something to think about also).
 
Quote:
I didn't catch this part the first time -- please realize that the number of people who are convinced their runs are totally secure is FAR FAR higher than the number of people whose runs *are* totally secure. I'm not speaking of people being stupid, my point is that one can genuinely and quite reasonably believe you've dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's *and still be wrong*.

I really do not recommend leaving your popdoor open at night -- and a curtain or flap would count as 'open', if a permanent door is not locked down over it -- unless you are well and truly OK with the prospect of some day going out there in the morning to find feathery red body parts strewn all over the place.

If you do not believe me, browse the "Predators and Pests" section of the forum to note how many threads about 'something ate all my chickens!' come from people who were convinced their runs were secure enough to make it ok to leave the door open overnights.

Just sayin,

Pat
 
I appreciate the concern, Pat - thank you!

I guess nothing is really secure, but I have rectangular wire mesh 3mm thick riveted onto a square metal tubing frame for both walls and ceiling, so I'm confident (though not cocky!)
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Regarding the flap, my concern is that the flock will want to start their day at some point where we are still finishing our night time exploits, so I see this as a possible compromise, but I won't use it without careful thought.

More thoughts?
 

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