Raising chickens is becoming increasingly popular, even in urban areas. Raising chickens in your backyard is fun, rewarding, and full of benefits. If you have a garden, your chickens can even act as a natural pest and weed control!
However, as with anything good, you need to put in some hard work, commitment, and dedication to see the best results. People interested in raising chickens need to be ready for the associated costs of buying chicks, feeding the birds, and other miscellaneous expenses, including housing.
Chicken coops are simple structures that can be constructed in a short time, and creating a good chicken coop should not be overlooked as part of your chicken raising process. Your flock’s health and overall happiness depends on how comfortable they are in their new home. The chicken coop door is arguably one of the most critical aspects of your chicken coop since chickens can’t get into their new home without it! Let’s take a look at some amazing DIY chicken coop doors you can put together.
The 10 Chicken Coop Door Ideas
Always ensure that the door you choose will work with your overall chicken coop design. Carefully consider the size, placement, and materials you have used or intend to use in building your chicken coop.
1. Classic Pop Door
Considered an oldie but a goodie, the classic pop door is a simple door that you prop open during the day. There are many ways to create a pop door, but the main goal is to create a door with a flap that opens up and down. You can create one similar in appearance and function to a dog door that opens and closes with movement or one you prop open. If you use a full prop door, you need something like a cabin hook to keep the door secured in place during the day.
2. Timer Door
Setting up a door on a timer might require more finagling with wires, a power supply, or even solar energy. The timer determines when to open or shut the door, fully automating the process for your chicken coop. While you can buy premade automatic chicken coop doors, you can also build one using antennas and a timer. This tutorial shows you what materials you need and how to build a door with a timer. It also has a set of video instructions.
3. Screen Door
As arguably one of the easiest doors to make on this list, the screen door is another simple classic. This door is perfect if you live in a warmer area, but it’s also a great swap-in door for the summer months. The screen door provides excellent ventilation into your chicken coop. However, if you are in an area where wild predators inhabit, you need to craft it with sturdier wire and not just a basic window screen. You can always add insulation to the door during winter to keep your chickens safe from the cold. You can watch this video here to see how to build your own screen doors.
4. Sliding Door
Sometimes the simplest is the best choice, and it’s hard to go wrong with a basic sliding door. As its name suggests, this design slides up or down (or side to side) to open and close your coop. You might need woodworking knowledge to create a solid frame for your sliding door, but standard hooks and string work just fine for the hanging mechanism. You can follow this video tutorial for extra help.
5. Inside Sliding Door
While we already included one sliding door on this list, this sliding door is located inside the coop, so you have to enter to lift it. This door is perfect if you live with curious kids or animals who are likely to investigate your chicken coop. In addition to the extra safety precaution, the framework and lift are inside the coop, and you can have a decorated aesthetic outside.
6. Double Sliding Door
This design takes the regular sliding door a step further. While still simple like the standard sliding door, this model has an upper and a lower door that can be opened and closed separately. It is an excellent option if you have flighty birds in your coop. Once all your chickens are out of their roost, you can leave the top door open and the lower door shut. If your chickens are in danger, they can take cover by jumping over the closed lower door while the lower door keeps the possible predators out.
7. Automatic Swinging Door
As you can see, many of these doors are similar in design, and this automatic swinging door is no different. Automatic doors work best if you cannot always be there in time to open and shut the coop doors, and this design is ideal if you do not have the space to create two separate doors like the sliding doors above. The only setback is trying to ensure the trigger stays out of reach from pesky critters, curious kids, or adventurous chickens. Check out this video tutorial here to see how to make your own!
8. Water Door
This door is a bit more adventurous and complex but well worth the effort. It uses the weight of a water source to pull a latch and open the coop door. Like many of the other automated doors on this list, this engineered solution is more complex than just a piece of string and some chicken wire. The door still requires a bit of labor, like emptying the bucket when it is time to close the door. Check out one in action here.
9. Roosting Door
The roosting door relies on weights and pulleys rather than electricity and wires. The door does not require tinkering with wires and the possibility of getting shocked when playing with electricity. The idea behind the design is that the chickens themselves are the trigger for opening the door. It will only work if you ensure there are no other areas for your chickens to roost within the coop. Use this video tutorial for inspiration!
10. Curtain Door
This last door on our list works the best with thick clothes, heavy vinyl sheets, or other sturdy fabrics. Making a curtain door is one of the easiest doors for your chicken coop but also one of the least secure. It is ideal if all you’re after is protection from the cold since the fabric can help keep drafts out. The door won’t protect against predators, and your chickens can enter the coop at will. We recommend using this type of door only if you are sure your run is completely sealed and few predators live in your area. This tutorial walks you through making the curtains out of dishtowels, but the method can be applied to almost any fabric.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are looking for a simple, old-fashioned solution or a modern-day chicken coop door, your options are endless. As long as you ensure your door will keep your chickens safe, you have a winner. Finding the best door to suit your chickens’ needs doesn’t have to be a huge hassle. Building a door is one of the many possible ways to customize your chicken coop and improve your chicken-raising journey.
Featured Image Credit: Jub Jub Photography, Shutterstock