Dutch door locks

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catchthewind

catchthewind

Songster
8 Years
Jan 27, 2011
366
5
113
Vancouver Island
We are building a dutch door for our coop. It seems traditionally dutch doors have one latch that holds the top to the bottom, and one latch that holds the bottom to the frame. Is that type of set up secure enough for a coop or would an animal be likely to be able to rip the top part open? We bought two latches that we can lock or use a carabiner or something in (one for each half of the door), plus a bolt to bolt both halves together, but it means two things to undo to open up the top part. Not really a big deal if it's safer but is it necessary? Anyone have any pictures of their dutch doors just for some inspiration? We're hoping to get it put on tonight and it's one of the very last things left to do. So happy to finally have this coop just about done!
yippiechickie.gif
 
The way I would do your idea is have the latch for the top to bottom on the inside thus eliminating any predators chance of getting it open. Then just make sure the bottom latch system is secure.
 
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The problem with that is then we'd have to open both doors each time. If we only latched the top to bottom it would definitely be locked somehow still. I actually did buy three latches for it though. Two that will latch and bolt (one for top and bottom) and one that's just a slide bolt to bolt them both together. If we only use two locks, I'll use the two locking ones and skip the slide bolt.
 
I have an inside dutch door that opens between the storeroom and the actual coop. I just used an eye hook arrangement on each section but it sounds like yours is opening directly to the outside? Since mine is already behind a door with a locking knob I wasn't too concerned. Here's mine:

Outside door:
40181_web-wd-003.jpg


Looking through that door into the storeroom and the dutch door into the coop (open part of the top section is screened):
40181_web-wd-007.jpg


and with the top open from the coop side:
40181_web-wd-016.jpg
 
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Yeah ours will be right outside. I like the little shelf on your bottom door. Might have to add something like that to ours later. (Right now, we just want to get the thing done!)
 
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The shelf was easy. took about 10 minutes, a board screwed into the top of the bottom section. gives a place to rest thing on and something to lean on when you are chicken watching
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For an outside door you want something pretty secure. Thought about just putting a door knob on each section?
 
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A lot of it depends on how well built (and well-hung, and well-framed) your door is. If it is professional house-type quality, probably what you describe above would be adequate.

If however there is ANY gappiness, wibbliness, ability to flex diagonally, or anything like that, personally I'd be more comfortable with the top and bottom having their own separate latches. It really is a personal choice though. You know it's a little more secure, but how much does that matter to you. Everyone's going to have their own feelings about it.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat
 
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We don't have any boards that would work for a shelf (just plywood, but yours looks much thicker than plywood), and just want to get the thing done! We didn't end up getting to it last night before dark, so my husband is going to take a couple hours off work this morning (once it's late enough to be sawing and hammering
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). We want the older chicks out today, preferably. All our chicks are getting crowded.

As for the door knob, it's a plywood door with a 2x4 frame so I don't think door knobs would work in that.

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Definitely not a professional door.
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It's not hung yet, and we are going to be putting diagonal braces in, but I'm sure it will be a bit wibbly. I think I'll do two, just for peace of mind. Maybe a bit more of a pain to open, but I'd rather have safe chickens. We were going to put braces in diagonally too, though need to play with that and figure out what would work best.
 

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