Brooder door ideas? Help please!

[violamama]

Here is what we built today. It will be in our unheated but not drafty tool shed. We live where we're unlikely to have lows less than 40 until next winter.

I have to get these chicks out of our guest bathroom. We had the hardware cloth because we're building a coop/run and we had the tarp laying around. The wood is all from an Ikea loft bed that fell apart (shocking, IKEA falling apart, I know!) when we took it apart to move it. It's 3.5 feet high, 3 feet wide and 5 feet long.

It's the door that's stumping me. Anybody have ideas for an easy way to cover that?

I could just make a frame, cover it with either hardware cloth or tarp, and attach it with loop and hook latches (has to be possible for my kids to open it) but I was wondering if there was some ninja secret backyard chicken forums brooder door magic.

BTW, chickens would try to push open a tarp-only door, right? This doesn't have to be predator-proof (because the shed it's in will be) but just has to keep them in and safe.

THANKS!

 

[Pork Pie]

Why not do as you plan, but attach the door with hinges and latches?

 

[violamama]

I suppose I should- was trying to avoid a trip to the hardware store.

 

[Pork Pie]

If its a good fit, you could lean a few bricks against the outside of the door? They can be great escape artists though

 

[User395221]

I suppose I should- was trying to avoid a trip to the hardware store.

You could make (temporary) "hinges" from strips of tarp. (you'll need to put a timber strip on the underneath of the door, the "hinges" won't hold the door up like a normal metal hinge will), and you'd need to support it well when you open it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I use a lot of guillotine type doors but 3’ x 3-1/2’ is a pretty big door. You are probably better off making that trip to the hardware store but as thin as that wood is you may have to be careful what hardware you get. There’s just not a lot to attach too.

In a pinch leather works reasonably well for hinges. Back in the days when we had inner tubes you could cut hinges from them too.

 

[Rapier]

we take and cover the hole with wire and then cut out a door the size we want and then use hog ringers to put the piece back on for the door. works out pretty good. and we fix a latch with a wire.

 

[violamama]

These are great ideas! I think we're going to build a lightweight door with actual hinges.

For today, I stapled some extra tarp over one side and then leaned an old window screen propped with a storage bin to keep it in place.

Any set-up critiques or comments? We're also planning to put a real roost or two diagonally in there.

Toddler shown as prototype chick and to show scale.

 

[User395221]

Any set-up critiques or comments?

I'd be inclined to have the water first as you go in, and the food tray on the other side of it. My animals tend to spill everywhere and I certainly would manage to spill when taking it out to refill. Having the food out of my "spilling range" would, for me, be a good idea (clumsy, who, me?). Also, if they poo in the water trough, you might be needing to access it more than the food tray.

Otherwise, it's great. Plenty of room. And very cute little helper you've got there.

 

[violamama]

I'd be inclined to have the water first as you go in, and the food tray on the other side of it.  My animals tend to spill everywhere and I certainly would manage to spill when taking it out to refill.  Having the food out of my "spilling range" would, for me, be a good idea (clumsy, who, me?).  Also, if they poo in the water trough, you might be needing to access it more than the food tray. 

Otherwise, it's great.  Plenty of room.  And very cute little helper you've got there. 

That makes sense. We'll be moving to some horizontal nipple waterers I ordered soon but in the meantime the water in the corner near the door sounds better. Frankly, the kids even climb in here to pick up the birds so water should probably be more secure.

Thanks!