Chicken Door Size/ automation?

[Swamp Roo]

Hi All,
New to the forum and new to chickens (keeping them that is). I am building an 8X8X8 coop built on 16' PT runners ala prebuilt storage shed style with the runners extending out another 8'. The chicken run will be built on top of the extra runners. The idea is that I can drag the thing around when I want or when I need to shelter it from hurricanes. My question is what size to make the chicken door? Also, anyone use the automatic chicken doors that close at night/open in the morning? I expect to be keeping full sized birds for the most part, lots of predators here, and I want to give them any little advantage I can for when I eventually screw up.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

I woul say, make the opening the same size as a nesting box, 12"x12".

 

[tvtaber]

Ours is about 8x10", which looks small but the big hens have no trouble getting in and out. The goats can actually get in through this little hole, too, which amazes me!

 

[Poison Ivy]

The opening on my pop door is 14x20 I have larger birds and it works great. Plus I have the auto door opener also and that is worth every penny that I paid on it. I love it they have a company now that sell it in the US.

 

[3peeps]

Ours is maybe the size of a sheet of typing paper?

8 1/2 x 11ish. We are the same...it looks small, but the girls get through just fine. I have a friend with a smaller door, and a large rooster, a brama hen, etc. and they do fine as well.

We cut the hole in the garage as large as we could go between the studs, but with the framing, we lost some width and height.

 

[Swamp Roo]

Thanks everyone. That is about what I expected. Most coop plans I've looked at just show the location of the door, not size.