MANUAL Chicken Coop Door

[CluckyMcCluckington]

Do they exist or do I need to build my own? I only need a small manual access door between coops that can be closed off occasionally if someone needs a time out. I looked online and here and only see automatic doors. I don't want one with a sensor that gets triggered and opens and closes on its own. And I am looking for the least expensive solution. Thank you.

 

[nuthatched]

I don't think I understand the question, you need to build a normal door?
All you need is 2 hinges, a plank and a lock.
Or salvage a door from a sidewalk or cabinets.
Do you have something in mind?

 

[CluckyMcCluckington]

I don't think I understand the question, you need to build a normal door?
All you need is 2 hinges, a plank and a lock.
Or salvage a door from a sidewalk or cabinets.
Do you have something in mind?

I meant the small chicken coop door. Sorry, I didn't explain well enough. Like the auto doors, but manual. Just a small door to slide up and down or back and forth manually. One that can be left in the opened or closed position. But not auto so that it gets triggered at dusk and dawn. Just a small access door. I can build one if necessary but if there is one that is for sale cheap enough then I prefer that. I'll add a photo to my post.

 

[nuthatched]

I meant the small chicken coop door. Sorry, I didn't explain well enough. Like the auto doors, but manual. Just a small door to slide up and down or back and forth manually. One that can be left in the opened or closed position. But not auto so that it gets triggered at dusk and dawn. Just a small access door. I can build one if necessary but if there is one that is for sale cheap enough then I prefer that. I'll add a photo to my post.

Ok. You could cut a square hole in that plywood, and just mount the cut out part on hinges. Add a little hook and eye lock.
The hardware would cost $5 and that's it.
You could install a little dog door as well, those are $20+.

 

[Penpal]

www.oakhillhomestead.com

This website has directions for a slide up door. I'm sure you could orient it to slide to the side, if you wanted.

 

[Penpal]

What DH did was to make a ramp, add hinges, and when we wanted to close the door (like twice in ten years), we just lifted the ramp up and used a hook and eye to hold it there.

 

[Stephine]

www.oakhillhomestead.com

This website has directions for a slide up door. I'm sure you could orient it to slide to the side, if you wanted.

We have a slide up door in our coop and I worry every time that I will decapitate a chicken if it slips out of my hand… It has been almost eight years and that hasn’t happened yet, but I‘d prefer a less accident prone pop door.

 

[CluckyMcCluckington]

We have a slide up door in our coop and I worry every time that I will decapitate a chicken if it slips out of my hand… It has been almost eight years and that hasn’t happened yet, but I‘d prefer a less accident prone pop door.

Maybe we can both get a workable new design.

 

[Penpal]

Stephine, I think you could make the design work by making it a slide to the left/right door.

The coop my DH made used a ramp with hinges, putting the ramp up to close the door and using a hook and eye to keep it closed. They don't need a ramp if they aren't going and out.

 

[Stephine]

I like the idea of a ramp/door design! Maybe I will get around to modifying my coop in the summer. The one thing I do like about my guillotine style pop door is that even if a critter managed to slide open the lock I installed it would have a hard time getting in because it would have to lift the door and the door doesn’t stay open ( it’s pretty heavy, too).