Need help with pop door

[CKfarm22]

So we ordered a chicken guard and need help making a track for the pop door. We are using the piece of plywood we cut out as the door. I need help making a track for it as it will be moving up and down.

 

[arizona_chicken_noob]

I just used wood but my big tip is.... the track needs to extend taller than the door! Sounds stupid, but I did not do this at first and of course once the door is fully pulled up by a cord, it fell out of the too-short track.

 

[SheaLoner]

C channel could work. I think they make metal and plastic versions. Measure the thickness of your door and go troll your local Lowes/hardware store for ideas.

 

[CKfarm22]

I just used wood but my big tip is.... the track needs to extend taller than the door! Sounds stupid, but I did not do this at first and of course once the door is fully pulled up by a cord, it fell out of the too-short track.

Do you have any pictures of yours and how you attached it?

 

[CKfarm22]

C channel could work. I think they make metal and plastic versions. Measure the thickness of your door and go troll your local Lowes/hardware store for ideas.

How could i attach it to the coop siding?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think ChickenGuard has instructions for how long tracks should be and how far apart? I don't know the details myself as I bought the door kit (so it came with the panel and tracks) and had the coop builder install it.

Hmm, I could only find one photo of my door and tracks, so it's probably not very helpful. I do know the door has to be wider than the opening, and the tracks about twice as tall as the door.

 

[SheaLoner]

How could i attach it to the coop siding?

Liquid nails and/or screws.

 

[CKfarm22]

I think ChickenGuard has instructions for how long tracks should be and how far apart? I don't know the details myself as I bought the door kit (so it came with the panel and tracks) and had the coop builder install it.

Hmm, I could only find one photo of my door and tracks, so it's probably not very helpful. I do know the door has to be wider than the opening, and the tracks about twice as tall as the door.

View attachment 3003379

It seems like i’m going to have a little bit of trouble using the piece we cut out and making a track for it :/ But i love your saying too, it made me laugh

 

[arizona_chicken_noob]

Here is my coop and I actually have not fixed the pop door yet, so I am putting the door (white MDF piece on the left) into the track by hand every night.

I had some 1x2 type lumber which I then screwed together in a bench vise to make the L shape. I then built a small box the size of my coop opening, 12h x 10w, and affixed the L channels onto it. (I predrilled all the holes for this to prevent it from splitting.)

As you can see, it's woefully too short, but when I get around to fixing it I will probably use the same style and just make it taller.

The other detail to know about this pic is that my coop is inside a shed with a small run on the other side. So this pullet is actually standing on a 2x4 box attached to the shed and not the coop. Everything on the coop itself is painted green, the shed is the earthy color + unpainted.

Now my shed has a similar (but lesser & bumpier) type of siding that you are using, and I saved my cutout to put a 1x2 frame around it and I had planned to affix it using hinges (not a track). You could do that as well and I would recommend putting a box of 2x4s on the back side for stability.

I did not end up making the outer door because I put a small secure pen on the outside of the shed instead. I don't think coyotes are going to get through the outer pen and then the 10x12 .75" MDF inner door.

 

[K0k0shka]

Whatever you do for tracks, make sure there's a lip across the bottom on the outside of the coop, that overlaps the bottom of the door, so that raccoons can't slip their little hands underneath the door and push it up. Just nail a 1"-wide strip across the bottom from the outside, that should be enough.