How would you make this opening predator proof?

[Sefirothe]

That’s actually pretty genius. I get tired of snagging my clothing on the random wire ends poking out from my pen’s door. I wonder if I could get this stuff to work with my door since the fit is so tight. I may just give it a try.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The chickens will be sleeping in there and the gaps on the top, bottom and sides of the door are obviously way too big to keep predators out.

It may be really challenging to find a door that fits that opening perfectly. The way I'd go about it would be to put a thick piece of treated wood on the ground inside the run (I assume that door opens out). Make it high enough that the bottom of the door bumps against the threshold so nothing big can push the door inward.

Use the same idea on the sides and top. Sandwich two pieces of wood around the door. Screw two pieces of wood together with the wire in the middle. Make the one inside wider than the one on the outside wide enough to barely overlap the door so it cannot be pushed inward but try to not close off too much of the opening. Since the post is thicker than the wire you will probably need to add trim (at least to the inside piece) so it is parallel with the fence instead of at an angle.

I've never done this with a thick metal frame around the door like that. I have sandwiched two pieces of wood around the cut ends of wire mesh to make a frame and cover the sharp ends, mainly to make pop doors. I've never tried that that with an opening that big or a door that heavy.

I would not attach anything to the door itself. I'd worry about the door getting heavy and you might have issues on the hinge side.

 

[Bsmac]

View attachment 4272292I

The chickens will be sleeping in there and the gaps on the top, bottom and sides of the door are obviously way too big to keep predators out.

If we replaced this door with one that's predator proof, what kind of door would that be? I'd prefer something metal that we didn't have to build.

We had a similar setup on a metal run before I completely rebuilt it. I am assuming you mean at the top and bottom of the door opening. I just got some small aluminum angle stock (home depot) and cut it to fit. Drilled a couple holes on the angle and door opening then bolted to the top and bottom. Problem solved!

 

[Ted Brown]

Ted, I sure do miss her too, I for one have certainly not forgotten her.

I'm not sure if you've seen the "In Memoriam" page in the Family Life forums or not. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/in-memoriam.590996/

A link to saying Goodbye to Anne (Aart) can also be found here.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/goodbye-aart.1667789/

Thank you for both of those links, I had not seen the first. The second I knew about and had posted there about a memorialization; strange though as I do not get notifications when someone posts so had not looked back for awhile.

I just did and read through the many tributes, made me smile and be sad.

However, what I had in mind was more of a recurring reminder, each March 20th. A notice (up top) that reminds just how special she actually was; perhaps even with an example of her brilliance and/or pointed remarks.

@Nifty-Chicken ?

 

[EmmaDonovan]

We already have the coop. We had to buy something we could afford that fit the space we had available so the door was a secondary consideration.

Predators include pit vipers, hawks, ground squirrels, gila monsters, kestrels, javelina, bobcats, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, owls, foxes, feral dogs and people.

 

[NatJ]

Predators include pit vipers, hawks, ground squirrels, gila monsters, kestrels, javelina, bobcats, coyotes, owls, foxes, feral dogs and people.

Can any of those predators get their whole body through the opening? If not, just put the roosts far enough from the opening, and the chickens should be safe while they sleep. For a person, for example, see how far a finger or an arm can reach, then put the roosts more than that distance inside (so a reaching person cannot get a chicken's head or tail to pull it closer.)

For people specifically, a lock on the door is also a good idea, so you have to use a key or combination to get in. The normal latch is probably enough to keep out the non-human animals you named.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Can any of those predators get their whole body through the opening?

Yes, several, that's why we need to block it.

 

[Bsmac]

We already have the coop. We had to buy something we could afford that fit the space we had available so the door was a secondary consideration.

Predators include pit vipers, hawks, ground squirrels, gila monsters, kestrels, javelina, bobcats, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, owls, foxes, feral dogs and people.

That`s a ton of them to worry about!