Louvered door in a coop?

[MojoWorkin]

Hi! I'm new. I have the chicken bug but I've never owned them before. I am thinking of building a coop, so many ideas here! Thanks for all the info I've already absorbed by lurking.

I want to use recycled materials to build my coop. I came across a door like this:

I wonder if this would be good in a chicken coop? It would provide ventilation. But would it be too cold in winter? I live in Upstate NY.

Also, is it predator proof? What about with some hardware cloth over the louvered part?

Just a thought. Thanks for any insights.

 

[ChickenTender63]

I'm afraid it will be too drafty in NY and the louvres will never withstand a coon. They will yank them right out and then you have to hope that there is hardware cloth on the other side attached really good.

I applaud you though for recycling, keep it up!

 

[MojoWorkin]

Thanks for the feedback. Those tricky raccoons! I will keep looking.

 

[GallowayFarms]

acutually if it is a solid door you would always screw a piece of plywood to the back of the door in the winter time and take it off in the summer.

I would mount the hardware cloth to the outside and the plywood to the inside.

If you can get a deal on the door go for it. You can always modify things to the way you need it.

good luck

Nick

 

[Chirpy]

I'm with Nick on this one. You certainly want to put hardware cloth over the entire door to keep coons out. Using a sheet of plywood over the back during winter is a great idea. It would allow good ventilation in the summer.

 

[MojoWorkin]

Cool! I am thinking ventilation is really important. Thanks!

 

[ChickenTender63]

Quote:
Thats a very good point Nick. In that case it would work, then pull the plywood off for the summer and have more ventilation. Use 1/4" plywood scraps so it won't make the door super heavy and it should work fine.

 

[GallowayFarms]

I was going to suggest card board but then i remembered how distructive a bored chicken can be.

 

[ChickenTender63]

a piece of old paneling would probably work just as well also to cover the inside during the winter. Your just trying to stop the drafts, and the wire will hopefully take care of predators