Have you ever stood in your backyard, hammer in hand, staring at your half-built chicken coop and wondering, “Just how big should this door be anyway?” You’re not alone! As someone who’s been raising chickens for years, I can tell you that chicken coop door size is one of those seemingly small details that can make a huge difference for your flock’s safety and comfort.
Why Chicken Coop Door Size Actually Matters
Let’s face it – chickens aren’t exactly known for their patience. When it’s time to head out to forage in the morning or return to roost at dusk, you don’t want your feathered friends squabbling at a too-small doorway!
The size of your chicken coop door impacts
- Safety: A properly sized door keeps predators out while letting chickens move freely
- Comfort: Your chickens need to enter and exit without stress or injury
- Convenience: The right size makes coop management easier for you
- Climate control: Door size affects ventilation and temperature in the coop
The Ideal Chicken Coop Door Dimensions
After looking at lots of successful coops and talking to fellow chicken keepers, I’ve found these dimensions work well for most flocks:
| Door Feature | Recommended Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 9-12 inches (23-30 cm) | Allows single chicken comfortable passage |
| Height | 10-14 inches (25-35 cm) | Accommodates most standard breeds |
| Clearance from ground | 6-9 inches (15-23 cm) | Keeps bedding in, predators out |
Remember these are general guidelines. Your specific needs might vary based on your chickens and coop design.
Factors That Affect Your Chicken Coop Door Size
1. Chicken Breed and Size
Not all chickens are created equal! Some breeds are substantially larger than others, which affects the door size you’ll need:
- Bantam breeds: These smaller chickens need about 2 square feet of coop space and can use smaller doors
- Standard breeds: These need 3-5 square feet of coop space and medium-sized doors
- Large breeds: Brahmas, Orpingtons, Cochins, Langshans, and Jersey Giants need larger doors
As one chicken owner on BackYard Chickens forum put it, “My pop door is too big, about 18 x 24 in. Apparently they thought chickens are HUGE! LOL!”
2. Flock Size
The number of chickens using the door matters too. With more birds, you might need:
- A wider door to prevent bottlenecks
- Multiple doors for larger coops
- Higher placement to prevent chickens blocking the entrance
One forum member noted, “I have a lot of chickens, like 50, and we need to either enlarge the hole or make another one. They fit fine, but sometimes bossy chickens will stand in the door and not let the other chickens out.”
3. Coop Design and Layout
Your overall coop design will influence door placement and size:
- Walk-in coops might need larger doors for human access
- Mobile coops often benefit from slightly larger doors
- Stationary coops can have standard-sized doors
4. Climate Considerations
Your local weather affects optimal door size:
- Cold climates: Smaller doors help retain heat
- Hot climates: Larger doors provide better ventilation
- Windy areas: Door placement and size affects drafts
Manual vs. Automatic Chicken Coop Doors
Manual Doors
Manual doors are simple hinged panels that you open and close yourself. They’re cost-effective but require daily attention.
Automatic Doors
Automatic doors operate on timers, light sensors, or remote controls. They offer incredible convenience – no more early morning trips to let the chickens out!
The Run-Chicken door is a popular automated option with these specs:
- Dimensions: 13.8″ x 9.4″ x 1.3″ (350mm x 238mm x 33mm)
- Inside “walk-through” dimension: 10″ x 8″ (254mm x 203mm)
- Weight: 2 lbs (0.907 kg)
Installation Tips for Your Chicken Coop Door
When installing your chicken coop door, consider these practical tips:
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Position the door 6-9 inches above the coop floor to prevent bedding from spilling out. As one chicken keeper advises, “Remember, if you’re going to be using deep litter, make sure to cut your door 9 inches (or so) off the floor so that the shavings stay INSIDE the coop.”
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Ensure proper alignment so the door opens and closes smoothly.
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Consider a ramp if the door is elevated to help chickens enter and exit easily.
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Make people doors swing OUT for easier access. As one forum member noted, “Mine swings IN, and it’s hard to open it with 6 inches of shavings against it.”
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Regular maintenance is essential to keep door mechanisms working properly.
Common Chicken Coop Door Questions
Can the door be too big?
Yes! A door that’s too large can:
- Allow predators easier access
- Create too much draft in cold weather
- Make it harder to maintain temperature
- Give chickens a place to perch and block others
As one chicken keeper mentioned, “I would keep the height of the door between 10 & 12 inches. If they can stand in the door…they will.”
Should I include a ramp?
A ramp is helpful if:
- Your coop is elevated
- You have older or disabled chickens
- There’s a significant height difference between the door and ground
Use non-slip material for the ramp to prevent accidents.
How high should the chicken coop door be from the ground?
The door should typically be 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) from the ground. This height:
- Allows chickens to easily walk in and out
- Helps keep the coop floor clean
- Provides some protection from ground predators
DIY Chicken Coop Door Ideas
If you’re building your own coop door, here are some practical approaches:
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Simple Sliding Door: A piece of wood that slides up and down in grooves – easy to automate with a pulley system.
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Hinged Door: Attach with simple hinges for a swinging door.
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Dutch Door Style: Split horizontally so you can open just the top or bottom as needed.
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Guillotine Style: Popular for automated systems, slides straight up and down.
My Personal Experience
When I built my first coop, I made my door 12″ x 16″ – and quickly learned it was slightly too large! My Rhode Island Reds had no problem getting through, but it let in too much cold air during winter months. I ended up modifying it to 12″ x 12″ which worked much better.
One mistake I made was putting the door flush with the floor. Big mistake! Every time I opened it, shavings would spill out. I ended up adding a small lip at the bottom, but I wish I’d just installed it higher from the start.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to chicken coop doors, the “goldilocks principle” applies – not too big, not too small, but just right for your particular flock. For most standard chicken breeds, a door around 10″ x 12″ positioned 6-9 inches above the floor works perfectly.
Remember that you can always adjust if needed. As one forum member wisely said, “Really, almost anything will work. And if it doesn’t, just make another.”
What size door did you end up with for your coop? Has it worked well for your chickens? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!
Bonus Tip
When designing your coop, always build bigger than you think you need! It’s much easier to block off extra space than to expand later. Your future self (and your chickens) will thank you!
Automatic vs. manual chicken coop doors
All of my chicken coops have manual doors. This is because I work from home. I’m always available to open the doors first thing in the morning. And then I close them as soon as the chickens are all back inside for the night.
For me, having an automatic chicken door wouldn’t save me any time. I have to go to the coops to bring the chicken food and water back into the house every night anyway.
However, if you have a less flexible schedule, you may want to consider an automatic chicken coop door. An automatic door can either be set to open and close at a certain time, or it can be set to open and close based on the level of light.
Automatic coop doors have both benefits and disadvantages. Below are some of the pros and cons.
- You don’t have to get up early to let your chickens out
- You don’t have to remember to close the door at night
- If you aren’t home when it gets dark, you don’t have to worry about your chickens
- You can more easily leave your chickens to go on vacation
- If the power supply fails, the door may be open at night, leaving your chickens unprotected and exposed to drafts
- Some automatic doors stop working if the temperature gets below freezing
- If the door closes before all your chickens are in the coop, they will be stuck in the run all night
I pored over dozens of chicken forums, chicken Facebook groups, and Amazon reviews to find out which automatic chicken coop doors are most highly recommended. There are a few brands of automatic chicken coop doors that came up over and over again as the very best automatic doors in the industry.
The ChickenGuard Chicken Coop Door is the most-recommended battery-powered automatic chicken door. This may be the highest-quality chicken coop door available, very heavy duty, designed for all weather, and it comes with a 3-year warranty (or at least at the time of this writing).
Although most batteries only last for 6-9 months, many chicken keepers have said that their ChickenGuard batteries lasted over a year. Regardless, the door does come with an indicator light to let you know the batteries are getting low and need to be changed.
Check out the YouTube video below that reviews the ChickenGuard Automatic Door. The man shows night video footage of his entire flock being stuck in the run because his previous door (not the ChickenGuard door) closed too early. The flock is massacred by what I think is a fox.
The man in the video explains that his previous door (not the ChickenGuard brand) was set to close on a timer, so when the days got longer, the door closed too early and the chickens were stuck in the run. You can set the ChickenGuard Automatic Door to close at a certain light level to prevent this problem.
When it comes to solar-powered chicken coop doors, the majority of chicken keepers recommended theHappy Henhouse Automatic Chicken Coop Door. However, if you check this coop door out here on Amazon, you’ll find one video review showing that the door, while it’s easy to install and works well, isn’t predator-proof.
There’s also a completely different kind of solar-powered door that many recommend, called the Coop Controls Automatic Door. This is a device that attaches to the side of your coop or run and actually closes your existing door.
Below is a YouTube video that shows you how it works and exactly how to install it:
You can make your own automatic door if you’re the DIY type. If you search the chicken forums, you’ll find a lot of examples. Below is a YouTube video showing one example of a homemade automatic door.
Chicken coop pop door designs
If you decide you’d rather go the route of using a manual door, you’ll want to build your chicken door so it opens to the outside. This way, you don’t have to worry about bedding getting in the way, and the door will be easy for you to open and close.
There are several different styles of chicken doors you can choose from, including:
- Swinging doors—these doors swing open on a horizontal plane
- Sliding doors—these doors slide either horizontally or vertically
- Ramp doors—these doors swing open downward on a vertical plane and also serve as a ramp for the birds to get into and out of the coop
Luckily, I have chicken coops that feature all of these designs, so I can show you examples of each.
All three of these doors work fine. The ramp door is my least favorite. The ramp ended up being too steep. In order for the ramp to have been less steep, it would have to have been really long, which kind of defeats the purpose of a ramp door.
You can see in the photo below that my husband had to attach another board to the bottom of the coop at a shallower angle. Now the ramp door rests on that other board when it’s open.
If your coop isn’t elevated at all, you may be able to build a ramp door that works, but most coops should be elevated. To find out why, check out my article, Does your chicken coop need to be off the ground?
For more on ramps, check out my article, Chicken coop ramps: Your ultimate guide.
Best Automatic Chicken Coop Doors (2025 Update)
FAQ
What size chicken coop door do I Need?
The size of your flock is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing the size of your chicken coop door. If you have a large flock, you will need a larger door to allow all the birds to enter and exit the coop comfortably. On the other hand, if you have a small flock, a smaller door may be sufficient.
What size should a chicken coop door be?
For standard chickens, a door measuring 10 inches (25.4 cm) by 10 inches (25.4 cm) wide is sufficient. However, for larger breeds like Cochins, Brahmas, and Jersey Giants, doors measuring 12 inches (30.48 cm) by 12 – 14 inches (30.48 – 35.56 cm) wide are recommended.
How big should a coop door be?
The door should be at least 8 inches wide and up to 12 inches tall. My recommendation comes from experience building a coop and the book Poultry House Construction. The door should open in a fail proof way. That means once the door is open there is no way for the door to accidentally close.
Why does the chicken coop door size matter?
Here are a few reasons why the chicken coop door size matters: If the door is too small, your chickens may get stuck or injured while trying to enter or exit the coop. On the other hand, if the door is too large, predators may be able to enter the coop and harm your chickens.
How big should a chicken coop be?
The Need for Accommodating Different Types of Chickens: A one-size-fits-all approach won’t suffice when accommodating chickens of various sizes. The coop door should be wide and tall enough to accommodate both the smallest bantams and the largest standard-sized chickens comfortably.
What is a chicken coop door?
It serves as a gateway between the coop and the outside world, allowing chickens to access their outdoor run, find food and water, and explore their surroundings. Selecting the right size for your chicken coop door is a decision that impacts both the welfare of your chickens and the overall management of your coop.
How big is the chicken coop door?
A good standard size for a chicken coop door, or pop hole, is 9-12 inches wide and 10-14 inches high, but the exact dimensions depend on the size of your chicken breeds, from bantams to larger fowl. A minimum of 6 inches should be between the bottom of the door and the ground, and the door should be securely latched to prevent predators from entering.
How wide to make a chicken door?
A width of 9-12 inches allows a single chicken to pass through comfortably. This ensures that most chickens can enter and exit the coop without difficulty. Chicken breeds have varying heights, so the coop door’s height should be adjusted accordingly.
What is the rough opening for a run chicken door?
For smooth operation of the door, it is necessary to provide a minimum of 12” (T50, Eternal)/ 22” (Giant) of space above the upper edge of the door and at least 1” left, right, and below the edge of the door. The required size of the opening you need to mount models T50 and Eternal is 8” x 10” (L x H).
Is a 4×8 coop big enough for 8 chickens?
This 4×8 chicken coop is perfect for a small flock of up to 8 chickens. It comes with a wire-meshed run that extends under the hutch to offer 32 square feet of free space for your chickens to explore and forage for worms. Raising the hutch also helps keep your chickens dry and reduce instances of water or flood damage.