chicken pop door winter question

[nccountrygirl]

Quote:
I used your suggestion and got some of the shelf liner at Wally World last night, today I cut wide strips of it and stapled a strip on each side of the door. It was tuff going at first, all of them would either stand there and look at it or peck at it but as it started getting dark instinct took over and they all made it in safe and sound. Silly birds

 

[Echobabe]

We used (first) a recycled shower curtain, doubled and alternating verticle strips cut. This lasted about a month.

With these cold temps forecasted, I started looking at the dollar stores for a heavier replacement. Bingo! A rubber backed placemat with a short napped fabric.

We had to staple it onto a strip of wood, then screw it on to the top of the pop frame. We left the shower curtain in place for "familiarity." Also, we screwed down the placemat sides onto the door frame, leaving only the middle area with "flaps" This further cut down on drafts.

This is a lot heavier than just the plastic, and fits closer to the frame. Even with 10F today, the coop stayed about 30F with just the overhead light on all day long.

Elise
Grass Lake

The only other thing I did was to staple along each vertical cut to keep the fabric from peeling away from the rubber side.

I still had to shove the girls out of the "unfamiliar" door, and then shove them back in again, but after that they thought it was ok.

 

[ginasmarans]

My door is probably about 5 ft high and is just a wood frame covered with wire(it was already there) It doesnot go all the way to the ground,but is about 1 1/2 ft up. I just covered it with plastic and I open it during the day and close it at night. They go under the plastic with no problem.

 

[Cabbage]

I built a wooden door that I just open in the morning and close at night. Even at 20 below the hens are just fine.

 

[Cheryl]

I'm changing the subject...sorry!
Seachick, you have large wire in your cage, right now I have none, I guess at this point I need the snow to melt (DH is a skier, during the winter, I am a widow) But I'm wondering do you worry about critters getting in? I am in town, we have skunks, raccoons and dogs, which rarely are loose, people are pretty good with the leash law. My own dog will get the girls first...and I didn't realize it but my maine coon cat was out the other day and just walked by them! So opionion, from everyone else as well, large wire or small wire?

AS for the door, mine is on a piano hinge from the top, it is insulated, in the center of the coop and the girls roost on either side of it. There is a tiny crack on either side, and I figure that helps with the much needed ventiliation...it tends to steam up a bit! At night I use the "ladder/ramp" and lean it up against the door to keep it shut.

 

[Pullet Pimp]

Hello, Newbie here and I have been lurking for about a month and just joined in the fun. I have raised other farm animals growing up, but never chickens so this should be fun. I have 25 day old pullets coming in two weeks and have the brooder set up. I have been searching coop design for a couple weeks and have a good idea on what to build for my area (NW Ohio). Gotta start that soon. Lately I have been planning the pop door and had a couple of ideas I haven't found in older posts, they may already be there I just haven't found them so I thought I would ask. Growing up we used a wind break on the doorways to keep out the cold drafts inside the barns. Here is a rough sketch to show what I mean. Just inside the coop I plan on putting and interior L shape wall (in red) so the hens would make a left or right turn to go inside. This will prevent any wind/drafts from blowing directly into the coop and maybe keep the temp a little warmer in the coop. I would make it removable for summer months. It has worked with other farm critters, anyone see why not with chickens? Also, has anyone used dog doors to have the panel to close and lock them at night. I was also considering the ones with the electro magnetic locks that are on a timer so I wouldn't have to go out at night if I didn't want to. The sketch is a top view.

 

[Anny]

I'm in Michigan too!

I'm planning on doing the burlap ideas to deep breeze out. On really cold days I might even keep the girls locked up. The coop is going to be inside of my garage, and I build it a little bigger then needed, since I knew they might get "cooped" up in it in the winter.

 

[Pullet Pimp]

No thoughts, good or bad, on the wind break wall area? Anyone?

 

[usalbrechts]

It sounds like a good idea to me. If you have the room to do it go for it. It will probably help to keep what ever you throw down on the floor of the coop inside better too. We have a litter board at the bottom of the doors into our coop to keep the pine shavings in.

 

[Groo]

I have been wondering this same thing. The coop is snug and warm (well, relatively) until I open the pop door and then it acts like a chimney with the two gable-end vents up high. The temps drop pretty quickly once that little door is opened. I will keep it closed on frigid days, but what to do on those 20 degree days of which we have so many in Maine. I was wondering if anyone has tried some strips of heavy clear plastic like you see in Home Depot over large openings when they have to keep the doors open....Maybe the chicks would be too creeped out by that. This is my first chickie winter so I have no idea.