New Chicken Tractor is Done but has a small gap....Help!

[Sabrinakia]

I just finished my chicken tractor but there is a small gap on the side door of the henhouse. Should I try to reposition the door to fit more snug or can I put something over it or leave it alone. My husband says it is fine but I cannot stand the thought of finding a snake or rat that have squeezed through. Here is a picture that shows it is about the width of my thumb.....any advice...!!!! Please!

 

[4 the Birds]

Nice tractor! I think it is fine with the gap. You can always nail a small wood strip to the frame instead of resizing or repositioning the door. I like my coop to be "gap-less" so that I can control drafts and keep out snow. In snowy regions, high winds with blowing snow will find its way inside and create a snow drift.

 

[Sabrinakia]

Thank you. We are in Georgia, so not a lot of snow but on BYC I keep reading about critters. That concerns me Greatly.....Ewww! I guess hubby knows best.

 

[PoultryGirly]

I would fill the gap up. I would be scared to death that a critter would crawl into the coop and eat all of my chickens/ducks and I coulld've prevented it. It's better to be safe than sorry!

 

[Sabrinakia]

I will see if I can put a strip of wood over the top to cover the opening. Here goes!

 

[sport14692]

That is so awesome, well done !!!

 

[PoultryGirly]

How'd the wood strip work out, Sabrinakia?

 

[PoultryGirly]

How'd the wood strip work out, Sabrinakia?

 

[Sabrinakia]

I didn't do it. In the morning, I'm taking off the door and will try to fit it the right way. My arms struggled the first time so hopefully I can get some help tomorrow. Will definitely post some pics.

 

[LoneOak]

Where about are you in GA? I am about just west of Six Flags about 3 miles off of I-20. My coop is an old chicken house that came with my house when I bought it. The house was built in 1935 and I think all the out buildings were built in the 50s. If you were to see mine you wouldn't worry about on little gap at all, my chicken coop is full of gaps.

The snakes around here don't eat the chickens they just eat the eggs, to discourage them you just have to feed them wooden nest eggs. The mice around here can get in a hole about the size of a dime so it isn't really worth worrying about them getting in, time for the mouse trap or just leave them alone and let the snake get them. Where I live if you've got one you've got the other, they come in pairs -- mice and snake--snake and mice.