Vinyl flap doors . . . can chickens figure them out?

[austradork]

We're having an early winter here in Seattle, so cold in fact our chickens are refusing to come out of the coop! I installed a flat panel heater to take the edge off, but it's still a bit chilly in there due to the wind blowing in the door. I'm considering installing a vinyl flap door, like this , but my boyfriend doesn't think chickens are smart enough to actually walk through them. What do you guys think?

 

[Mahonri]

I ended up putting slit cloth over the opening of my pop door. (I have AC in the coop for those hot summer days) It didn't take them long to figure out they could push those cloth slits either way to come in or out.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

They should figure it out, the doors are see-through so they might just walk with through them!

 

[austradork]

Quote:
Oooohhh. So you secure the cloth at the top and the bottom and just "slit" a cut down the middle? In other words, it's not a flap door because the cut doesn't extend all the way down the cloth, and hence, there's nothing to "flap"? Just want to make sure I'm picturing this correctly. Also, do you use some sort of stretchy material to avoid it from getting saggy over time?

 

[aubreynoramarie]

mine never figured it out

 

[Jferlisi]

I think they would figure it out. My chicks figured out that if the go through the hole in the create i put in there for them.

 

[Carolyn252]

Mine figured it out easily because at first, I taped all but one of the hanging flaps up out of the way and kept just that one hanging down. They walked in and out right past it. Then the next day, I let two more hang down; and then after they went in and out a few times that day, I let them all down. Here's a picture. I think you can just barely see the clear plastic flaps hanging down.

 

[FlyingFChick]

I was thinking about doing the same thing! Winters can be pretty bad here in Michigan. Where can you get something like that? I have searched online, but haven't found what I am looking for!!

 

[Carolyn252]

Quote:
Just take some ole plastic, cut it to fit over the entire door plus extra on all sides, tape it to the coop all around and then take a scissors and cut slits in it from the bottom up. I used an old clear vinyl shower curtain I think. Also you can buy clear plastic by the yard in some hardware stores; also craft and fabric stores. Or get a clear plastic tablecloth and cut it to fit. Or maybe you have some old plastic cases that sheets and mattress pads came in or similar kind of stuff that you might have stored away in some lost corner of the basement, garage, closet, etc.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

not fair! are mine stupid?!?!