How to Make a Sliding Chicken Coop Door
Want a secure flock, but don't feel like hand locking a latch or padlock on your coop door every night? Well look no farther! This vertical door slides easily with the small tug of a string that is conveniently located outside your coop. Most importantly, the coop door self locks from the inside as it is lowered, making it IMPOSSIBLE for those darn predators to even TOUCH the lock. If that wasn't enough, this design eliminates the ability to externally lift the door from its bottom.
Check out a video of how the door works HERE.
Look like something something you want to build? Then let's get to it!
Step 1: Gather Materials You Will Need
I used these materials, but they may change depending on your specific design spin and coop setup.
Tools: Please also have a jigsaw, drill, and table saw ready!
| Quantity | Item | Price (i.e. Homedepot.com) | Notes |
| 1 | Rubbermaid 12 in. x 24 in. Organic Ash Laminate Decorative Shelf | $6.98 | Comes in ash, black, white, oak |
| 2 | ClosetMaid ShelfTrack 30 in. x 1 in. White Standard | $6.98 | Comes in black or white |
| 1 | Everbit Satin Nickel Double Robe Hook | $3.28 | Comes in many different finishes, and sizes. |
| 1 | Everbilt 2-1/2 in. Stainless Steel Narrow Utility Hinge Non-Removable Pin (2-Pack) | $5.35 | A spring hinge can also be used instead. If you choose a spring hinge, you do not need a counterweight. |
| 1 | 3/8 in. x 4-7/8 in. Stainless Steel Screw Eye | $3.67 | |
| 4 Screws for shelf track | #6 x 1 in. Philips Square Drive Flat-Head Full Thread Zinc Coated Multi-Material Screw (40 per Box) | $2.50 per box | Screws you use should be flush with the track, to avoid the door getting stuck. Please make sure the screws fit your shelftrack holes. |
| 1 | Washer (for counterweight) | ||
| 1 | Metal string (for counterweight) | ||
| A few lengths | 2x4 or 2x3's | ||
| 1 | Thick roll of twine/thin rope | Free (found at home) | Size and material of this item can vary depending on preferences such as durability and drill hole diameter. |
| As needed | Wood Screws | Free (found at home) | Used mostly to screw in vertical beams and horizontal door stopper. |
Step 2:
Find the area inside your coop that you would like your door to be. If there is a vertical support beam already in the coop, this would be an ideal place! If there are none, secure one ~30 in. long 2x4 vertically to the side of your coop wall with wood screws or corner brackets.
To measure your doorway size, place your shelf in between the shelf tracks and to the side of your first vertical beam.
Mark where the shelf tracks lay, and draw the outline of your doorway. (I used a piece of 11x8 1/2 paper to do this). Make sure the opening is at least 1 inch smaller in width than your door (12 in) on each side, and is located 3 inches from the ground. This distance between the ground and your door's bottom will ensure predators can not lift your door up from the outside, and will keep coop litter from spilling out.
My opening size was ~5 1/8 x 8 in. Below you can see how I lined everything up.
Step 3:
Remove all materials except your outline paper from the wall and use a drill holes to mark the doorway outline. This is especially helpful if you are using a jigsaw from outside to cut your opening. Use a jigsaw (or preferred saw) to create your doorway opening!
Step 4:
Place your shelf track against your 2x4. Use screws to secure one shelftrack to the vertical beam, ensuring the screw head is flush with the track. Once the first track is in place, insert the shelf and the other track. Mark where the other track ends, install a second vertical 2x4 beam, and screw in the other side of the track.
Step 5:
Take your shelf and cut it so that it is 3 inches taller than your opening. Screw your door latch onto the door so that the hinge bends to face you and lands parallel to the floor when bent (do not install it so it can turn all the way downwards). Place the door in the track and make sure it can slide easily, adjusting the vertical beams if need be.
Step 6:
Screw in a piece of wood above the door hinge. You want to ensure the latch will hit the wood if in the lock position "parallel to ground" but also has enough room so that it can be lifted upright and slide in between the wood and the wall.
***If you don't want the door to self lock, only install a screw eye to the top of the door.
Step 7:
Tie a counterweight (composing of a washer and string/metal string) to your door hinge. This weight will ensure your latch moves into the "lock" position when the door slides down. ***Alternatively you can use a spring lock and exclude the counterweight.
Step 8:
Attach the string to your door hinge in the middle hole and thread it through eye hooks leading to where you would like to pull the string from.
****Make sure your drill holes match the diameter of twine you use!
Step 9:
Install the coat hook where you want to pull from. The string can be tied here during the day to keep the door open and released at night to close.
Note- This design is based off of an original design seen on youtube:
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How to Make a Sliding Chicken Coop Door
Source: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-make-a-sliding-self-locking-and-predator-proof-chicken-coop-door.75906/