Chicken door design (using cloth to keep wind out)

[tomcio]

Ok, I looked on the forum and can't seem to find an answer to this:

Does anyone use cloth in the chicken door in their coup to keep heat inside? It can get rather drafty here in Ottawa, and I was wondering if my future chickens (chicks arrive on October 9th!) would learn to use a cloth-curtain in a coup door?

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks in advance.

Tom

P.S. I will post pictures of the coup construction soon.

 

[Chicabee19]

hi Tom!

Sounds like an excellent idea, if the chickens will agree to go through the material!

It would have to be something pretty heavy.

Are you going to put your pop-door on the least-windy-side of the coop?

 

[tomcio]

The door is on the south side of the coup and from the way the winds blow around my property, the least affected one.

 

[Chicabee19]

hopefully someone with experience in this will chime in soon!

 

[the1much]

heavy cloth that will be needed, will most likely make them NOT use it,, just put a light 1 up now for a couple days, maybe they'll make the switch to a heavier cloth easier.
i would even try just putting a strip of cloth first, let them get use to that, then a couple strips, and o on till you get to what you'll need.

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

I used strips of rubber from a innertube that was beyond repair. Stapled a few every couple of days so they got used to the idea slowly and overlapped them just a bit. Now they poke right through with no problems. I'd immagine you could do the same thing with cloth but I try to stay with things that will last a long time so that I don't have to do it again. Old leather/suede jacket (beyond use or really cheap from goodwill) would work well too. Good luck.

 

[Chicabee19]

oh true... material might get really dirty! Leather sounds like a great idea.

 

[snowydiamonds]

My backyard neighbors who are also partners in chickens w/me use a heavy canvas tarp nailed to the door and only leave a small area draped open about as big as a normal chicken door, our chicks & hens were never afraid and used it immediately. It is army green colored canvas and our chickens run thru every time they hear us coming thru the pen...run to greet us

 

[tomcio]

Thanks everyone. I will go on a hunt for a thicker (rubberized) material.

This is encouraging.

Tom

 

[patandchickens]

Walmart sells a nearly-clear (very translucent) longitudinally ribbed heavy plastic shelf liner. Look in the kitchen dept' near the dish racks and shelf paper and suchlike. You can cut it into strips that somewhat overlap each other. It is heavy enough not to blow too terribly much, and lets light in.

You may well need to hang just 1 strip at a time to let the chickens get used to the idea gradually.

Of course there are lotsa other ways to do it too

Have fun and good luck,

Pat