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

[Carolyn252]

Quote:
No; they just need an imperative to overcome their fear. Mine HAD to be brave and walk past the new scarey hanging flap so they could get to their roost to sleep for the night. If they NEED to walk past it, they will. Or, hang it over the door after they go to bed and they will HAVE to brave walking past it to get out of the coop to the food and water outside. After they walk past just one hanging down, then release another flap and let them get used to walking past two of them. After that, you can let all the flaps down.

 

[jmagill]

I bought 10 dollar neoprene no slip floor mats. They are thicker and do better as a cover.
I cut a slit and lifted the one side up for a few days until they got used to going in and brushing up against it.

Now it is the only cover I have on the door.

 

[DaKid]

I did use the plasic type but used a heavy white canvis type materail which I place 3"strips downward on the coop door---- but I left out at first a piece or so that they knew that they can still go in and out after a while I fill in the opening of the stripless panels so now the door is cover with the materail of canvis (or heavy 1/8" thick materail) and they have no problems going in and out .................

 

[Mahonri]

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.

That's what I did but with an old bath towel.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Air Conditioning in the summer - - - WOW those are some "special" chickens. . .. .

Mine would KILL for A/C.

How many chickens do you have with that A/C ? How big is the coop ? What size A/C do you use ? ?

 

[abhaya]

mine would be clueless. I had to go into my coop and shove them out the uncovered pop door they didnt leave the coop for 3 days whenI first put them in it!!!!!

 

[austradork]

Quote:
Cool coop! Lowering the vinyl flaps gradually at a time is brilliant! I probably wouldn't have thought of that - thanks!

 

[austradork]

Quote:
Oh, I like your thinking. I bet neoprene mats would be more effective. Your chickens don't seem to mind the heavier weight? I imagine they have to "push" harder to get through them?

 

[LynneP]

Mine would go through but they hated the clear vinyl and croaked about in continuously and it got very stiff on the first day below zero Celsius. Maybe it fools the eye? I replaced with opaque 'leather' (artificial) and they seem to accept it better. I bet an old computer mousepad would work, if big enough.

 

[Boobear1956]

I have just installed a flap door I made out of a piece of vinyl carpet runner and it works great