DIY chicken door cover for cold weather?

[morgannn]

Does anybody know how to make a flap cover for the chicken door to the coop? My area is expecting cold weather in a few days and I want to make a way to block the wind from blowing in on my girls while they roost. I have seen pictures of plastic that looks like the plastic flaps on a car wash, and I was hoping to recreate that. However, I have looked all over the home improvement stores and Tractor & Supply and i haven't found any plastic thick enough to work as a wind block. Any suggestions on something else I could use?

(btw I do not want to use a wooden pop door)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Does anybody know how to make a flap cover for the chicken door to the coop? My area is expecting cold weather in a few days and I want to make a way to block the wind from blowing in on my girls while they roost. I have seen pictures of plastic that looks like the plastic flaps on a car wash, and I was hoping to recreate that. However, I have looked all over the home improvement stores and Tractor & Supply and i haven't found any plastic thick enough to work as a wind block. Any suggestions on something else I could use?

(btw I do not want to use a wooden pop door)

What about the flap doors people use on dog houses - maybe you could modify on of those to fit your opening. I would look at Lowes/Home Depot to see if they have something like what you are wanting.

If those are too flimsy, get creative and use something like a door mat cut into strips, but it would have to be light enough for the chickens to push through.

Just my thoughts

 

[Teila]

Hi there morgannn

If you can not find the materials for a flap cover, can you put a wind breaker further in the coop?

I hope I can explain this correctly. So, rather than block the door with something they may not want to push through, put up a permanent or temporary small internal wall slightly bigger than the door opening so that they walk in the door and then turn to the left or right to get into the coop.

Granted some wind/breeze would still get through but it should be deflected to the left and right also?

I do not have a coop door because of our low predator risk, secure run and climate so I am not experienced in this area but it was just something I thought of.

 

[juliasaunt04]

You can order the flaps off Amazon. They are flaps to cover a dog house opening. Search dog houses and there should be flaps there. I ordered a dog house for my ducks and the flaps were an additional option for 10$.

 

[juliasaunt04]

I just looked, searched " Dog House Flaps" they are running between 19 and 26$. Depending on size. Good luck

 

[SgtLamie]

Has anyone tried using clear shower curtains as a blocker whether is be on the entrance to the coop or the outside to block wind? Pros? Cons?

 

[flyin-lowe]

What size/style coop do you have? Is the roost that low that the wind would hit the birds? Also how long is the roost bar? In a larger coop they would likely move over and huddle together if the wind was on them. If you have a smaller coop with a small low roost bar that is as low as the pop door it will be an issue. If there is enough room for them to move over and the coop is not already over crowded they will avoid that area. I have an 8 foot long roost board for 9 hens. Some night all nine of them are huddled using less then half of the board. As long as the cold air is not blowing directly on them then just the cold itself shouldn't bother them unless you have chicks that are not cold tolerant. How many, what breed, and how big is the coop?

 

[chickachickayea]

I am looking to do the same thing because my pop door is North facing. I'll be venturing out to JoAnn's today to see if I can find some heavy vinyl - I've used their lighter type for a table cover - so I'll update with my findings! If you don't have that option, I'd look around for a heavy PVC shower curtain to DIY.

I just read that when doing this to introduce your flock to the flap/curtain, to pin it up and gradually lower it over the course of a few days. Because chickens are chickens and can be quite confused by new things.

Good luck!

 

[chickachickayea]

I tried to edit and add this but it wouldn't work, so here's a separate comment...

You can also buy rolls of plastic sheeting at Lowe's for winterizing/wind barriers. I've used this for a year with great success. I would not use this as a flap as it is too lightweight (already tried and failed!)

 

[chickens really]

Not sure why they need a flap?...Confused?...Do you have a pop door at all?....Two pens I have came with no Door..My Husband cut out plywood and made wood swivels like on a barn door to block off pop doors...I remove each morning...