Metal security screen doors

Has anyone used one of these on their coop? I am converting a shed to a chicken coop/goat house and I am concerned with ventilation. I was thinking of putting one of those metal security screen doors on. Their house faces south and is a somewhat protected area where they won't be getting blowing snow or rain or anything. We will also be putting a small roof over the door, which will protect it more. They seem pretty sturdy and I thought this might give us some added ventilation year round. They also lock so I can lock the animals in at night and they would be well protected I think. Anyone else use one of these? Your thoughts?

Why not just frame out a BIG open wall with hardware cloth. That's what my coop has. The screened wall is open year round. THAT will get you ventilation/air flow. I would think a metal door would be a heatsink.
Jack

JackE - how is your hardware cloth attached to your frame? We just finished doing that on an internal wall for our hen house but I'm still a little concerned about leaving it open at night as I know we have raccoons, opossum and possible a coyote or 2 nearby. Here's a photo:

Leahs Mom said:

JackE - how is your hardware cloth attached to your frame? We just finished doing that on an internal wall for our hen house but I'm still a little concerned about leaving it open at night as I know we have raccoons, opossum and possible a coyote or 2 nearby. Here's a photo:

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Leahs Mom, this is exactly what we will be doing in our shed! I too was concerned about leaving it so open and thought the metal screen door would be a good, secure solution while still letting air in. It will be opened during the day, but I will close it at dark. Seemed like double protection to me that way. Love your coop by the way. Hope mine turns out as good. I especially love the external nest boxes there. Will definitely have to that in mine.

I used heavy duty staples to attach the screen, overlapping the outside of the window opening a couple of inches. Then I installed 3/4" pine trim over that with nails every 8 or so inches. Nails are through the trim boards and the screening. It's very solid and clean looking.
Jack

Wise Woman said:

Leahs Mom, this is exactly what we will be doing in our shed! I too was concerned about leaving it so open and thought the metal screen door would be a good, secure solution while still letting air in. It will be opened during the day, but I will close it at dark. Seemed like double protection to me that way. Love your coop by the way. Hope mine turns out as good. I especially love the external nest boxes there. Will definitely have to that in mine.

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I have been reading your adventures on you other posts! I'm going to post full photos hopefully later tonight of everything including the interior showing more about the nest box and the adjustable roost. It is all made to be able to clean out easily!

JackE said:

I used heavy duty staples to attach the screen, overlapping the outside of the window opening a couple of inches. Then I installed 3/4" pine trim over that with nails every 8 or so inches. Nails are through the trim boards and the screening. It's very solid and clean looking.
Jack

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Are you able to post a photo close up of your trim job? I'd love to see it.

Someone else just posted that a pack of coyotes was able to TEAR THROUGH their 1/2" hardware cloth and took out all the chickens in their coop. I'm wondering if the expanses of wire were too large with not enough interior bracing. They described their set up as "screwed between 2 2x4's" and the coyotes still got through. It was also described as a pack. That post is what has me wondering about the strength of the hardware cloth and whether or not I should leave the external doors open at night!

Wise Woman said:

Leahs Mom, this is exactly what we will be doing in our shed! I too was concerned about leaving it so open and thought the metal screen door would be a good, secure solution while still letting air in. It will be opened during the day, but I will close it at dark. Seemed like double protection to me that way. Love your coop by the way. Hope mine turns out as good. I especially love the external nest boxes there. Will definitely have to that in mine.

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PS: On the external boxes...I also like that they are actually inside the shed out of the weather for when things are nasty outside. Still gives me a little shelter just inside the door. Got that idea from one of the coops here on BYC! We put a steady animal-resistant clasp on it also as I've heard that raccoons have been known to open external nest boxes with ease. The dividers inside the nest box are also removable by sliding them out (they slide toward the chicken side) for easy cleaning. Also have roost boards that are adjustable in height (to be raised as the chicks get older) and it can just be lifted out of a wooden "bracket-type holder) to take outside the coop to be hosed off when needed. (Again...I'll post more photos later.)

Leahs Mom said:

Are you able to post a photo close up of your trim job? I'd love to see it.

Someone else just posted that a pack of coyotes was able to TEAR THROUGH their 1/2" hardware cloth and took out all the chickens in their coop. I'm wondering if the expanses of wire were too large with not enough interior bracing. They described their set up as "screwed between 2 2x4's" and the coyotes still got through. It was also described as a pack. That post is what has me wondering about the strength of the hardware cloth and whether or not I should leave the external doors open at night!

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You can check out the link below. Pg 4 has other shots of the coop. I don't have coyotes around here, that I know of. Short of a bear, an animal tearing through hardware cloth, that would take some power. Now if the hardware cloth is not properly installed, I can see where an animal might tear it loose at a corner and get in. But tearing through it like it's regular house window screen, I'd have to see it to believe it.
Jack

Leahs Mom said:

I have been reading your adventures on you other posts! I'm going to post full photos hopefully later tonight of everything including the interior showing more about the nest box and the adjustable roost. It is all made to be able to clean out easily!

Click to expand...

Yes please do post more pictures. By the way, could you share with me how to do that? I used to be able to but since the site was upgraded, I can't seem to get them on. Anyway, your coop looks great and easy to clean is for me. Our set up now is so hard to manage cause DH just threw things up how ever he wanted. Someone gave him a bunch of 4 x 12 framed up walls and that is what he made my animal houses out of. Would be so bad except he set it right on the ground and over time the doors have gotten buried and the screws don't stay in and they fall off when I open them and so forth. So this time we are doing things my way and I will then get him out of the picture all together. With the animals, not totally gone. Well you know what I mean.

Our coop adventures have not been going as planned. We had no idea we would buy this other house so everything I was planning has been turned upside down. But I feel things happen for a reason and it will be better in the end. It will be much easier for DH to convert a shed than to build all new houses, plus it will give me more money to fix up the inside.

Oh and get this. My boss just stopped by and said he will move my DH's shed for free!!! I hope he is serious as that would save us some money. I am starting to get excited about this.