Pop Doors

[TheSheriffswife]

Hi all! I am a new member and I LOVE this forum and even though I have bought every chicken book known, I think I've learned more here than anywhere, so Thank You. I registered today because I am close to setting up my chicken kingdom! My question today is.. I will be using/converting a new Garden Shed as my coop 8x12. I will be insulating, putting up plywood it will have vents, extra windows etc. Also adding roosts and nest boxes. And I'm also putting a single door on the side for me to go in/out..Now, does it need to have a small chicken door or can the chickens use the double doors with 4 ft. ramp in the front to go out? Maybe there is a special reason for the pop door? They will be allowed out in a fenced area to range with some overhead protection, and supervised most of the time and returned and locked in at night..Thanks in advance for any input

 

[junglebird]

I have both a human door and chicken door leading from the coop to the run. On temperate days I open the big door and the pop door, on blustery/rainy/cold days, I only open the pop door. I like having the option to either air out the coop, or keep it closed off from the elements.

 

[midget_farms]

The large doors will do fine - on cold days or when there is snow on the ground the birds wont go outside anyway so just keep them closed in.

Usually the pop door leads into the enclosed area & the big boy door is outside the enclosed area so you can get in w/o going into the run.

In the end its up to you & what ever makes you happy! The chickens won't care either way!

 

[TheSheriffswife]

Oh Okay! Thanks..Yah my whole shed/coop will be in the enclosed fence area so I have to enter, so I guess it really doesn't matter..I was just wondering

Saves me from doing too much damage anyway to the shed trying to make a little door!

 

[patandchickens]

I really wouldn't advise just locking them in the coop all day when you think the weather is yucky. It's just really unnecessary... lots and lots of chickens WILL go out in rain or wind or cold or snow. Unless you have a GIANT-spacious coop (like 15-20+ sq ft PER HEN, indoors) it is just a kick-me sign for problems. It is so, so, so easy to put a popdoor in, I cannot see any reason for not doing it. Gives you the best of both worlds -- weather protection for coop, and maximum space available to use for the hens.

Pat

 

[cabincrazyone]

I agree with Pat. The best reason for a pop door is that they can come and go as they please, and you can make the decision of having the man door open or shut independently from the chickens' access.

 

[TheSheriffswife]

Ok, so I am figuring out that the main reason for the small chicken door is basically to keep the weather out of the coop? So this way I don't have to leave the big doors open if it's raining or snowing? ..And I wouldn't keep them in just cause it's nasty or yucky out, I prob will let them decide

I guess i was planning on leaving the door open, which now thinking about it, makes sense that all the weather will go inside. Thanks for the input! Now...I have looked all over the net to try and figure out how to cut out and put in a chicken door into the shed A) that is secure when shut and try to figure out what is better, sliding up/down or like a flap that hooks? Not having much luck..Sorry for all the questions.. I have figured out how to make everything else for the coop but that

 

[valentinebaby]

The pop door is also used to keep predators out of the coop. You can see the one I made for my coop on my BYC page - very simple, but I don't have to close it every night because my enclosed run is super secure. I designed it to open into the run and use to lock it until I was sure the coop was secure.

Good luck!

gail

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
yup!

Also, to a lesser degree (and irrelevant if you have a roofed run) it lets them get away from predators such as hawks more effectively.

I have looked all over the net to try and figure out how to cut out and put in a chicken door into the shed A) that is secure when shut and try to figure out what is better, sliding up/down or like a flap that hooks?

Sliding has several advantages -- if stoutly and correctly made it is harder for a predator to pry open at night, and it can be quite easily rigged to operate from outside the coop or run by means of ropes and pulleys. But that is not to say a hinged door is terrible either, particularly if it is stoutly made and you put a raccoon-proof latch (not just a hook) on it that you manually do up every night. And certainly a hinged door is easier to make. Personally I don't see it as a huge compromise in security to use a (correctly made correctly latched) hinged door, it is more the convenience factor and that matters more to some people than to others

There are any number of threads and peoples' coop pages that illustrate various ways to build sliding popdoors. (Or hinged ones, too, for that matter!) I would suggest getting a bowl of snacks and a mug of cocoa and spending the afternoon browsing

and see what you see that strikes you as doable in your situation.

If you would like some tips on how to cut the hole thru your shed wall (or thru the people door into the run, as that is your other option for where to locate the popdoor) we would be happy to help if you let us know what kind of shed it is (what kind of structure/construction it has)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[TheSheriffswife]

Thanks guys!

I'm gonna look at some pics and see what might work.