Poultry has for years picked up well across the world. With its simplicity and low initial capital, anyone can do it.- even little kids! Feeding chicken is not be a big problem. To those who do free-range it is an advantage to them. The big headache would be your pen.
An ill built pen will not have enough light and air. When building a hen-house, factor out various issues. The Chicken coop door is something that should into drawing board. The big question is when you make your hen-coop door, should you close it at night?
Qualities of a Good Nest Door
Making a door for the pen as a beginner is terrifying. You don’t want to make an error because it’s you are a starter. One is cautious about making mistakes. You will not do something great without any clue of what you are doing. Below are the traits of a good hen-coop door.
The Measurements of The Chicken Coop
- door should be 12 inches in length and 10 inches wide.
- Form the ground, and the coop door should be about 5 inches off.
- The chicken coop door should make to open moving from the coop, not inwards.
- Should not allow cold in the Coop.
- Should be lockable.
Determining The Size of The Pen Door to Designs
The above factors, and on measurements, are just guiding factors. You should design the actual size of the coop
door. To get an idea on the size of the door you are constructing, consider.
- Your breed of chicken. Some species are small breeds, while others are large. A large breed will require a more massive automatic chicken house door compared to the small breed.
- Do you have roosters or not? This is a question you should ask yourself. Roosters are more enormous than hens, if it is pure hens, the door will be smaller; if it’s a mixture of roosters and hens, the automatic chicken coop door will be more massive.
- Climatic conditions of the area. If the area experiences rain over the year, a small door is suitable. This will prevent misty and marshy conditions in the Coop. If the site is in a hot and warm climate, a big door is suitable. This with a proper chicken coop fan will enhances air circulation and cooling.
Why Not Design a Chicken House Door Same Size as The One People Use?
Some farmers may question why can’t we design a vast door like the one we use? It would be easy even to monitor the chicken when in the Coop. Below are the main reasons why we do not make a coop door that size.
- Chicken requires protection from any possible elements. Designing a coop door same size as house’s door won’t help to prevent these elements.
- To protect the chicken coop from predators. Small coop
- doors will discourage most of the predators —for example the huge ones.
- Nobody hates his or her privacy. This applies to animals. Chicken requires privacy, and when they are laying eggs. A massive coop door will not provide this, but a small one will.
Take note: you should not think of a large door for your Coop. Large doors will allow cold and rain in the Coop. These elements are no friends to the chicken. Healthy chicken should not be prone to these marshy and cold conditions. A large door is dangerous. When strong wind blows, it might sway towards the Coop. Chicken injured or get killed if they are on the doorway during this time.
Should I Close the Coop Door at Night or Not?
Some people may opt to leave the coop door open at night. Others decide to close it. The big question is whether you should close the door or not. Safety is paramount- whether in humans or animals.
Most predators are active at night than during the day. Leaving the door open will warrant these predators` entry. If you have a run all-around your Coop, you can’t be specific. To be on the safe side, I would advise you to close the coop door.
Only open the door to your Coop in the morning. Predators will wait around early in the morning near the coop. Once you open for the chicken, predators start hunting. Be certain there is enough light in the morning before you open the coop door.
It is only one time you can leave the chicken house door open. This is when it is scorching hot at night. even with this, you will still have to be sure that your pen is well enclosed.
Choosing Between an Automatic Door and The Manual Door.
Coop doors can either be automatic or manual. The type you decide to use will fall on several factors. if electricity is a problem in your place, then you cannot go for automatic doors. those who complain a lot about power bills will also avoid these doors.
Frequently Asked Questions
If my Coop has a Run All Over, Should I Close the Coop Door?
Yes. The safety of your chicken should be on the front line at all times. Some predators may find their way into the Coop and night. Also, keep things like electric chicken plucker, or ripper outside their visibility.
Between an Automatic Door and a Manual Door, which One Should I Choose?
The choice of the type of coop door to have depends on you. It would help if you weighed on the pros and cons of both types of doors.
How Do I Get The Best Side to Position My Coop Door?
To decide which side to position your door, consider the following factors. Direction of prevailing wind, location of your homestead in relation to the chicken house
Conclusion
Coop doors ensure the safety of your chicken at night. So, could you not take chances to leave it open? Predators need something to eat. Please don’t allow them to have meals at your place.