Door problem **update**

[RollinWithTheStones]

I have a shed that I converted to a coop, problem is when it's locked the doors can still be pulled open a bit. Something has (I'm guessing) squeezed under the door and killed two of my chicks. I need to find a way to close them more securely.

I want to thank everyone for their door suggestions, turns out it wasn't the door that was the problem. It was the corner apparently the PITA Animal figured out a way past my wire right into the roost. I only figured it out because it pulled my Phoebe out and she was stuck, so it ate what it could and left the rest. I did patch up the hole and tomorrow will be fixing it permanently. I put the girls high up in the rafters where they seemed content and fell fast asleep and I brought the chick in since I was afraid she would fall and get hurt.

Unfortunately I lost three birds

 

[Shayna]

I think a picture would be helpful to brainstorming for solutions. I have a really old wood shed I converted to coop also and I cut the bottom of the door off and put plywood across the front of the shed. I put a step in front of it, so I can just open the door and easily step over the board across the bottom. This will also keep my litter from falling out since i'm using the deep litter method.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Quote:
I have my coop listed on my back yard page.

This is the lip I put in to stop stuff from falling out.

02 by StonesChickens, on Flickr

Here is a front pic of it before it was finished. The doors close and lock.

01 by StonesChickens, on Flickr

 

[Shayna]

Hmm unless there's a way to put stakes in the ground or something to help keep the doors from being pulled out, the only other way I can think of is the way I did mine. The bottom of our door was starting to rot and could easily be pulled open. This is a horrible picture, but the only one I happen to have of the front of the shed- which faces the woods. I put a 2' high piece of plywood up against the door, added another thick dark piece of wood to the bottom of what's left of the door which fits snug when the door is locked. There is also hardware cloth around the base to prevent anything from digging in. Then there's a temporary cinderblock step there so I can easily step over it when I open the door. In the future I plan to add a hinge or something to make that bottom piece of plywood semi moveable. It's ugly, but we have so many minks and stuff in our area, whatever works!

 

[JackE]

I would rebuild the entrance to the coop. First, remove the doors. Frame up the door opening so when the door, (Not doors) is closed, it is like the door on your house. That is, When closed, The door is flush with the outside wall of the building. You will of course, have to modify one of the existing doors of your coop to fit the new door opening. Build a sturdy door, Not just a flimsy piece of plywood. Then, nothing will be able to wedge it's way past the door into your coop. Look at page four of the attached link and check out my coop's door.
Jack

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Can you add an extra latch or two, that makes the doors fit tighter? Plus having one added down lower might keep the doors from flexing, if that's part of the problem.

It also looks like there's a gap between the lip you installed and the front of the building. Can you add a piece of wood to fill that gap? Maybe have it come up above the lip a bit, too? That would also block the gap.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

I tried, if I block that "gap" it stops the door from properly closing all the way. I would rebuild if I had the money, but I don't. I'm going to try and wedge the doors shut tonight to see if that helps.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If worst comes to worst you can do like I did one winter and put a hutch inside the shed- get them to sleep in it and close them up in that for security. It would be out of the weather and cozy.

I did it for chicks I had in the shed- they needed a light bulb right over them.

 

[DawnCols]

What about adding two slide bolt latches at the bottom of the door? Or for each door a screw eye at the bottom of the door, another screw eye in the door frame, and a dog clip to hold it closed? That way if it's a raccoon, it's a little more complicated for them to figure out how to open.

 

[citychickx6]

Quote:
Just what I was thinking. It works great on our shed here. My coop door set up is different and WAY to heavy for anything to open. I like your suggestion on the slide bolts.