Flap Over Chicken Door

[jenkassai]

OMG my coop is so close to being ready I can TASTE it!!!! My husband put the pop door in yesterday. I plan on letting the girls out whenever they want during the winter, just open the door in the morning before work, unless it is REALLY nasty out. I started thinking about the winters here (NE OH), and wondered about putting a clear vinyl/ plastic flap on the inside of the coop over the pop door opening, to help keep wind out and warmth in (we're not heating the coop

). Will the chickens go through that flap to get out and to come back in??? Anyone else have a set up like that, that works for them?

Thx!

 

[jtbrown]

Hi from SE Ohio! I don't have a flap but thought about it, as we are on top of a hill and the wind hits us hard. I did see someone else here with a flap but there's was cloth and mostly to keep wild birds out of the feed inside the coop. I saw it on the coop pages. Good luck.

 

[jeepguy982001]

lol i was thinkin about the same thing.

 

[OregonChickenGal]

The flap may scare them. I wouldn't put anything over the door. It can get pretty cold here where I live, -10 to -20 in the winter, but I've never put anything on the door. Just make sure you have alot of deep pine shavings in the coop, so they can stay warmer. Hope this helps.

 

[luvmy33chicks]

i put a flap on mine
2 layers cut opposite slits in it
they get used to it after a couple days
i used a clear vinyl shower curtain from the dollar store
something thicker would work better though
havent found anything thicker that clear just yet

 

[jenkassai]

Quote:
Re: the deep pine shavings. I've been reading where some people use straw for them to burrow into? Do they sleep in that? I guess I was wondering if it is really cold do they sleep in the shavings/straw rather than on the roost? I was planning on the shavings, but we usually use straw for our dog houses (Akitas - they loooove the cold!!) and the dogs love it. I wasn't sure if straw would be better insulation than the shavings? Although I've heard it can get nasty if it gets wet, and I have seen that firsthand, but that is when the dogs dig it out of their house and spread it around outside

 

[wilobrookfarms]

i definetly want to know if they would use it. I notice alot of air/wind coming thru mine too.

 

[SteveBaz]

how about the cut strips vinyl door. Might freak the girls out or what they get used to.

 

[momma of a chicken lover]

Here is a link to a pic of what you may be looking for... The discussion gets a little intense - but the pic and expanation of how he taught his chickens to use it are good.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=170332&p=1