Wooden Coop Doors Won't Shut in Winter

[MassChick]

I'm in the bitter North East...Is anyone having this issue? My coop doors are made out of plywood and they literally do not shut anymore! When it's so cold the wood doesn't line up anymore. It's like it got too big too close. I understand wood expanding on the humidity but in the frigid cold? What gives?

 

[BBCHICKS123]

I live in Sandpoint/Bonners and am having the same problem and the same question

 

[ShanandGem]

My coop doors are all giving me fits too. Some I have to jam shut with a short piece of wood for a brace. Mostly it's from warping, or hinges getting full of bedding (five of my coops have doors that are hinged on the bottom. What a mistake that was.)

 

[MassChick]

Glad I'm not the only one. I had to shove a piece of wood to hold my coop door shut tonight too.

 

[BBCHICKS123]

I am using bungee cord

 

[Howard E]

I've noticed my daughter's coop does that too. Her doors open from the top and hinge on the bottom. When they won't close, I've always found it's because bedding with droppings have worked it's way out and is packed in and jamming things up at the bottom. So look at the bottom and all around the edges to see if there is anything lodged in there it is binding on.

 

[JackE]

What you are seeing, is the different reactions, of different wood types in the cold weather. The door frame material is contracting more than the plywood door. The plywood is made up of several slices of wood, plus the glue that holds it together. The door frame is made up of pieces of solid wood. So, different rate of contraction.