My Little Hoop Coop

[farmerjan]

Take one of your long zip ties... put it around the top and pull it as far closed as you can... snug... if you get some weather, rain, it will cause the wood to soften a smidgeon and then pull the zip tie a little tighter.. as it "bends/warps" back the way it needs to be, and it all settles and shrinks a bit... You ought to be able to pull it tighter to get it to where you want it... then you can put catches or some sort of fastener/slide bolt top and bottom to hold it's shape/straightened better...
You can use bungee straps but the zip tie will hold it firmer/tighter without any give... you aren't using it yet so won't hurt to close the door for a few days to get it to straighten.... some boards will just warp even when stored flat and such... even a piece of rope tied around the boards to pull them in tighter together will work...

 

[canesisters]

Here, rat snakes. They will crawl under a broody hen and take eggs -- yes, found one doing that and killed it on the spot!!!! I hate those things. They will hide and keep emptying each nest. I watch for them each year.

I have reached under a hen & snatched my hand back when the 'egg' I grabbed flexed & had that texture.
Removed the hen by her wings once I had a weapon in hand.

 

[canesisters]

Six hours of work.

I'm not happy. And I don't think it's my fault, not entirely.

Measured thrice, cut once.
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See the square? I kept checking to make sure my angles were correct.

Added welded wire fence
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Used hanging strap to attach the fencing
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Then I added black hardware cloth with fender washers and small screws.
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I added extra support on the top and bottom.
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Added a handle, hinges, hung it.

Houston, we have a problem...
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It's warped. The wood is warped.

The door swings great on the hinges.
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The wood is gapped at the top and bottom on the hinge side, perfect in the middle. I'm no carpenter (obviously!) but that doesn't appear to be due to my lack of competency.

No matter who's at fault I have to figure out how to make it work.

I will take it off the door frame, sink more screws to tighten the top and bottom boards.

And I'm either going to have to plane or cut the handle side of the door, or some of the door frame.

I marked the inside of the door where I would need to trim it to get it to fit, plane or jigsaw, probably.
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I stored the wood flat inside my shed since I bought it. It must have been warped but I just didn't notice it.


No. I refuse to start over. Just need to think about how to fix it.

I am not worried about gaps because I add hardware cloth over the gaps to prevent entry.

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Maybe just a simple short piece of wood at the top & bottom that spins on a bolt. When you're done with them for a while you could rotate the patch to hold the door right against the frame. Not so complicated that it would be annoying to open/close every day.

 

[farmerjan]

We brilliantly called them "turny things"....had them on all the outside runs yep, just a piece of wood that turns... to be the way to close it tight.... The outside panel at the end of the separate runs would allow us to open the pen so that group could go out loose for exercise and green grass.... free range for awhile. Then the mated pairs would not get mixed up and roosters fighting all the time... The panel was on the wood frame and it had to close against other wood...

 

[fuzzi]

This as closed as I can get it.

I appreciate all the suggestions, but I think I am going to have to plane or sand the edge of the door.

FIRST I will finish the hardware cloth, which will take a week or so, then reevaluate the door.

 

[farmerjan]

If you leave it at that angle, and you get some rain, it may warp out worse. At least pull the top into the frame as tight as you can. Use a bungee around it or something to pull it back to the frame to keep it from warping further.

 

[fuzzi]

If you leave it at that angle, and you get some rain, it may warp out worse. At least pull the top into the frame as tight as you can.

I'll try using zip-ties to pull it tighter.

You can see why I am frustrated.

 

[fuzzi]

 

[Baymule]

And that’s how it gets done! You have a great looking door now. Mull things over and you came up with a great fix-it!

 

[akroberts 1085]

Your hoop coop is so nice. Your chicks will have plenty of space to move around too.