Need a little help with door

[Pats Poultry]

Hi All,
With the temps here yesterday in the low 70's everybody was out enjoying the fabulous day. I opened the freeloaders (as they have not started lying yet, getting close) coop to see how warm it was in there but was pleasantly surprised that it was nice and cool. So I opened the screen door since it was so nice. I did not realized until I went to check on them after dark and noticed that I did not shut the screen door. The girls usually roost on the far side of the coop but with the door open they were on the side of the door which got me to thinking that when it gets into summer here I would want to keep the screen door open a tad for the cooler night air but only want it open about 6 to 8 inches and this is why I need a little help. Can anyone come up with a way to lock the door in place so that it is only open the 6 " and not rattle back and forth with the wind. I would think that would drive them crazy hearing that all night Here are a few pictures of the doors

This is the coop door with the screen door closed


Here is the coop door open


The coop door closed and the screen door open


and this is how I would like it open at night with some kid of latch or something that would keep it in place without rattling back and forth. I might just be over thinking this.

 

[AuntJamie]

This is how I would do it. A chunk of wood that can swivel screwed along the top left corner so when it's horizontal you can shut the door, up and down it holds the door open like a door stop. To keep it from coming further open maybe try one of those bar locks. The kind that swings across the doorjamb. It won't be a 6" gap, tho.

 

[Eggsoteric]

Question. Is there any reason you wouldn't want to keep the door open fully and the screen door shut during the summer months? How many birds? What does the coop have as far as ventilation? If there are summer nights where you think it will be too cold and you'd only like to leave the door open about 6 inches, they make some long hook and eye bolt latches that might work - something like this:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...re-v2124-6-safety-gate-hook-zinc?cm_vc=-10005

If your concerned about rattling, you can place some thin rubber or plastic tubing on the latch part or, sometimes the gap in the eye part is just large enough to fit some tubing around the eye.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I need a way to lock the door in place so that it is only open the 6 "

I would cut and hing a portion of the screen covering door to make a 3rd door to the size you require hinged at the bottom to drop down and latch in place at the top when temperatures require. Or another approach is to cut a opening in said door and install a track to allow you to slide the covering to any size you wish either in the guillotine or sliding patio door style.

 

[aart]

Question. Is there any reason you wouldn't want to keep the door open fully and the screen door shut during the summer months? How many birds? What does the coop have as far as ventilation? If there are summer nights where you think it will be too cold and you'd only like to leave the door open about 6 inches, they make some long hook and eye bolt latches that might work - something like this:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...re-v2124-6-safety-gate-hook-zinc?cm_vc=-10005

If your concerned about rattling, you can place some thin rubber or plastic tubing on the latch part or, sometimes the gap in the eye part is just large enough to fit some tubing around the eye.

Good Questions^^^^

 

[Pats Poultry]

Good Morning All,
Sorry for the delayed response as I HAD to go fishing yesterday. I only have three pullets 1 @ 5 months and 2@ 4months. Our coop has gable vents on front and back plus we have ridge vents on the sides and a window that I can open in the warmer months. I am not really concerned about the cooler nights as they were raised in the coop here in Colorado and we had temps well below zero for a few nights and they all seemed OK with those cold temps. I really don't have a good answer as why I only want the screen door open 6-8". Like I said I might be over thinking this.

Egg, I like the latch in the link Thank you for that.

Hokum, Those a great ideas for the door and I like the patio door one. I wish I would have ask this before I built the door that I built. I will slosh that idea around in my feeble little mind to see if I can figure out how to retrofit that type of door with out a complete rebuild or maybe just keep the darn thing wide open.
Thanks again for the replies.

On a side note, I think we are getting close to our first egg. Cant wait.

 

[lpfdco237]

There are a number of different types of folding locking hinges out there. Some made for sofas or futons that will lock it at different angles. Perhaps something like that will work for you?