Can/Will chickens use a "doggie" door?

[mrsbos]

I'm trying to make my 3 "illegal" backyard hens more discreet, especially since a neighbor complained about the noise. I'm wondering, if I can put the coop (a small Eglu) in my garage, with a "doggie door" installed in the door leading from the backyard to the garage. They seem most vocal (o.k. it does get quite loud), when they are about to lay an egg (especially if another chicken is already using the 1 nest box). I'm wondering if I could somehow concentrate any egg-song noises to near my garage, rather than in the middle of the yard where I swear the whole neighborhood hears it.

 

[Sphinx]

I am "chickensitting" for my friend this week. She has four chickens and three dogs. The dogs have a dog door from the house to the garage, and then another from the garage to the outside.

Twice this week, I've had to go look for two of her chickens that have gone missing. Both times I've found them in the garage, sitting under a light that she's left on.

So, these chickens seem to have no qualms using a doggie door.

 

[mrsbos]

Great! You'd think chickens could get the hang of something like that.

 

[Sphinx]

When I went to do my chores for my friend today, I examined her outdoor doggie door more carefully for you.

She doesn't have that flap thing that I would associate with a dog door. So, it's just a small hole in the door. That flap may make a huge difference. I don't have a lot of faith in the ingenuity of chickens, so I'm not sure if they could outsmart a flap.

Hopefully someone else can come chime in for you.

 

[azygous]

The pop holes on my coops all have heavy, plastic cut-down car mats nailed over the openings. The flaps have a slit in the middle,making the door flap a double flap affair. This is to cut down on drafts in winter and flies in summer. All of the chickens, even when they're very young, had very little problem figuring out how to push through the flaps. An important detail, to make the flaps chicken-friendly, is to make sure they are cut to the exact size of the opening, thus are free to swing in either direction. If the flap is larger than the opening, a chicken won't be able to work it.

If you should run into any resistance, you can make it a very short learning curve by enticing them through the flap with some tasty treat. Chickens will learn anything if food is their reward.

 

[Paula06]

The pop holes on my coops all have heavy, plastic cut-down car mats nailed over the openings. The flaps have a slit in the middle,making the door flap a double flap affair. This is to cut down on drafts in winter and flies in summer. All of the chickens, even when they're very young, had very little problem figuring out how to push through the flaps. An important detail, to make the flaps chicken-friendly, is to make sure they are cut to the exact size of the opening, thus are free to swing in either direction. If the flap is larger than the opening, a chicken won't be able to work it.

If you should run into any resistance, you can make it a very short learning curve by enticing them through the flap with some tasty treat. Chickens will learn anything if food is their reward.

Thank you for your suggestion on the doggie door especially the flaps