Chicken door ideas needed

[curranjohn46]

Hi,

I have been pondering a chicken coop setup where the coop is connected to a secure run. For the sake of a focused discussion, let's just assume my run and coop will be so secure that I can keep the chicken door open so that chickens can come and go as they please without me opening the door in the morning and closing it at night.

I want my chicken door to minimize draft yet allow chickens to come and go as they please. Does anyone have any ideas here?

Thanks,

John

 

[sunflour]

Attaching heavy clear plastic cut into strips is the best idea I have seen. Check out a past thread showing it:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/170332/electric-fence-and-chicken-door-coop-update

 

[EagleEyes]

I'm sure there are lots of ways to do this, but you can see what I did if you look at my coop picture. Both my run and hen house are secure and they come and go as they please.

and the little door on the side is how they get out into the yard.

 

[christinamae5]

I ended up putting a hole in the floor with the ramp attached underneath the coop (mine is about 30 inches off the ground to give the food and water underneath a dry place to be). I leave it open all the time- my girls free range in the yard right now surrounded by a six foot privacy fence- but I made a square with 2x4's around it on the inside of the coop to keep the PDZ from falling down the hole. This keeps out drafts and snow/rain very well as well as keeping the ramp dry! In this pic you can see the ramp coming down the underside of the coop to the ground. It took them a while to figure it out, but they did and I really like it for keeping out the elements.

 

[EagleEyes]

That's a good idea. Nice setup for your birds

 

[Hokum Coco]

Hi,

I have been pondering a chicken coop setup where the coop is connected to a secure run. For the sake of a focused discussion, let's just assume my run and coop will be so secure that I can keep the chicken door open so that chickens can come and go as they please without me opening the door in the morning and closing it at night.

I want my chicken door to minimize draft yet allow chickens to come and go as they please. Does anyone have any ideas here?

Thanks,

John

Pop door radio-antenna

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-5-bucks-with-a-radio-antenna-from-a-junkyard

This second method would require tending the door morning & evening however.







My pop door is 9"x12" and can accommodate all this birds with no problem. I would suggest raising the door up around 8" to avoid your litter from clogging the threshold of the door. Mine is a guillotine style door and it opens and closes with just heavy whipper sniper line no pulleys involved through a small hole drilled through the top of the door..