How to attach a predator-proof door on a plastic dogloo?

[FenDruadin]

I am looking for temporary (maybe longterm) shelter for my silkies while their shed is de-toxing from a fire today. If it ever does detox. I have a large plastic dogloo. Is it possible to attach a predator-proof door to it? How would I do that? Thanks. Kinda a stressful day.

 

[Dar]

make a frame slightly bigger then the door... then cover the frame in hardware cloth..

use s bungee cord to secure it to the front of the dogloo door?.. maybe attach it with a hinge to the side of the door or to the top so the door will swing or lift.... then you just have to secure the un-hinged side...

i dunno i am thinkin on the fly here

 

[FenDruadin]

Can I drill holes in the plastic and then attach screws... will they actually hold? Do I need nuts on the other side?

How much ventilation do they need? If I make a solid door and then cut a small window in the top & cover it with HWC, will that be enough ventilation?

I am so exhausted. My son set the shed (where they had been sleeping) on fire this morning and now that we've put it out and cleaned it all up... now I have to figure out what to do with them tonight and in the future. I need to sort it out today because we work 60-plus-hour weeks, starting at 7:30 Monday morning... I won't have another chance this week. I'm so tempted to go to Home Depot and spend a thousand dollars on a plastic shed... dumb, I know. I only have six silkies. They don't need much. But they need it now.

So tired. Thank you guys so much for the help.

 

[teach1rusl]

Cut a door the size of or slightly larger than the opening. Plywood would work okay for a while, longer if it was painted. You could use hinges as long as you predrilled the holes in the plastic. And you'd need to use machine screws with bolts so there'd be no pointy ends to stick through and poke a bird... Same thing for the latch...

 

[FenDruadin]

Quote:
Oh, thank you for this. I really needed it all laid out for me... did I mention that I also didn't sleep last night because the same son came into the bed and peed in it and then I couldn't find a single blanket anywhere in the house that wasn't already in use.

So. Anyway. I appreciate the very explicit instructions for my tired brain.

(Not that I don't also appreciate ideas, too--I ALWAYS appreciate ideas. I just really especially needed these instructions right now).

 

[teach1rusl]

No problem - And yes, you could cut an opening in the igloo somewhere and put hardware cloth over it using machine screws and washers to hold it in place (predrill holes again). The problem will be finding where to locate the vent. where rain won't pour in (unless the dog house is under cover???). So you may have to hinge a flap of some kind (plastic or plywood) to prop up over the vent, or come up with a tent like piece of thick plastic or some other flexable material that would allow the ventilation, but not allow rain in...

 

[FenDruadin]

Thank you all SO much. I was kind of off my head yesterday. I'm not good at logistics and figuring out a plausible step-by-step plan of action under the best of circumstances and, in retrospect, I was more shaken up than I realized, and quite befuddled.

So, after buying all the stuff to fix the door on the dogloo and enlisting my husband to help because I was confused and not sure what to do next, I gradually began to realize that I was stressing out over the wrong things. This is what we ended up doing:

* Putting the chickens up in a brood box for the next several nights.
* Planning to prime (with shellac-based smoke-damage-blocking primer) & paint the inside of the shed and set it up for them again.
* Putting all the stuff from Lowe's back in the bag with the receipt to go back when I get around to it.
* Going to bed

Feeling much better today.

Thanks again for everything. Now I know what to do if I ever decide to put a door on that dogloo.