Coop Door

[team_realtree]

Hi

A little info:

I have a 4x8 coop framed like a standard wall with plywood paneling forming the walls. I am in the process of putting in a fully enclosed run. My chickens spend a lot of time without me meaning that I am usually busy and can't watch them everyday. So everything that goes into the coop or built onto the coop is done with that in mind.

So with that being said I need to put a door out to the run for them that allows them to go freely in and out of the coop as they wish. Like I said the coop is fully enclosed meaning roof and chain link buried 1 foot in the ground and wire mesh laid 1 foot under the soil. NOTHING can or will get in!

How can I make a door? I was thinking something that they can push against like a flap of some sort but I'm not sure they are that smart as to run into a piece of door mat and appear outside? Whatever it is will have to be attatched to the plywood wall.

All ideas are welcome! Thanks for reading

 

[Dogfish]

3,000 words on how to do it.

 

[team_realtree]

How about a few more words explaining how picture #1 works

 

[team_realtree]

Lets try this again....

I know the pictures were posted in good nature but I don't have a remote clue about what is going on in them. Still wondering how I can build a door that will allow my chickens to use it and not have me close it at the end of the day.

 

[teach1rusl]

You can install an auto door that opens each morning and closes each night, or many have taught their chickens to use a clear, lightweight, flap style doggie door fairly easily.

 

[Dogfish]

Quote:
The auto door is set on a timer. At a given time the timer turns on the motor and the door either raises or lowers. You will need power to your coop. That bar with the weight on top is a lock. The door slides in a channel between two pieces of 5/4"x4" cedar, and the channel is 5/8' galvanized channel flashing.

Do a search on my posts and find the one on either "New coop for me", or my "auto door" post. There are no plans I can give you, as I just built it as I went. I copied the lock off of something I saw elsewhere. Play with it. I show a picture midway that shows the channel flashing and the attachment of it.

 

[team_realtree]

Quote:
The auto door is set on a timer. At a given time the timer turns on the motor and the door either raises or lowers. You will need power to your coop. That bar with the weight on top is a lock. The door slides in a channel between two pieces of 5/4"x4" cedar, and the channel is 5/8' galvanized channel flashing.

Do a search on my posts and find the one on either "New coop for me", or my "auto door" post. There are no plans I can give you, as I just built it as I went. I copied the lock off of something I saw elsewhere. Play with it. I show a picture midway that shows the channel flashing and the attachment of it.

Thanks but I can't get power to my coop. I am looking for a clear piece of flexible lightweight plastic that they can push on now.

 

[Dogfish]

The same set-up can be used for a string pull, lock and all. Also, you can run the set-up using solar power and a battery. If you are looking at a top swinging dor, I'm not sure the birds would use that, and it would not be secure, as it wouldn't lock.

 

[gryeyes]

It's not cheap, but I felt it was well worth it: the automatic door from Foy's. It uses BATTERIES, so you don't need power to the coop.

http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/2100-2107.html

I absolutely LOVE mine! The chickens sure appreciate having the door open right after dawn, and not waiting for me to come let them out. (I have my adolescents in a segregated coop which I do have to open for them; they're not happy the Big Chickens get out before they do. Plus, one Grown Up hen sleeps in my third coop, which I also lock up at night. It's an A-Frame with bottom section enclosed mostly in hardware cloth, so she can SEE the other Big Chickens loose in the run whilst she's still locked up.)

*I* appreciate the knowledge my chickens are safely closed away for the night - in the big coop - even if I'm working late and don't get home before dark.