DIY Draft Drapes for your Chicken Coop

Hanging drapes over your little chicken coop door can help keep out drafts and retain some warmth in your coop in the winter.

In the winter, partially blocking the little pop door that the chickens use during the day to come and go out of the coop can help keep drafts. out.

It's important that your coop have good ventilation, but not be drafty - and these cute "draft drapes" do the trick!

They'll keep the door blocked from gusts of wind, while still allowing your girls access in and out of the coop.

DIY Draft Drapes for your Chicken Coop

You can use fabric scraps, an old shower curtain, or an old kitchen towel (my favorite!) to hang over the door opening to make your draft drapes.

Getting your Chickens Used to the Draft Drapes

There will be lots of suspicion at first from your chickens. Like anything new, your routine-oriented, change-averse chickens will take some time to check out the addition from afar.

It might take some time to get your chickens used to walking through the drapes (picture a car going through a car wash!), but if you hang them in the summer or early fall and tie them back at first, by the time the cold sets in your chickens should be used to them and then you can let them hang down in front of the opening.

How to Make DIY Draft Drapes for your Chicken Coop

What you Need |

A pretty tea towel or kitchen towel (or piece of fabric several inches longer/wider than your door)

A short piece of dowel (I painted mine black to match the brackets)

Two curtain brackets (I got mine here)

Two u-shaped nails

Ribbon

For wider door openings, you can use a curtain rod with clips like this one instead to make it even easier!

What you Do |

Cut the towel or fabric in half the long way. Turn over the raw sides and hem, then hem the bottom if using fabric (a tea towel will already be hemmed on the side and bottom of course!).

Turn over the top an inch or more to make a pocket that the dowel will slide through and sew along that seam as well.

Then just slide the dowel through the top seam of your fabric, position your brackets over the door opening, secure them to the wall and slide your dowel through either side. Tighten the screws to secure the dowel.

Position a u-shaped nail on either side of the curtains and nail each into place. Thread a short length of ribbon through each nail and tie back the panels.

Let your girls get used to going in and out through the doorway for several days and then try leaving the drapes hanging down over the door opening.

Voila! No more chilly drafts in your coop this winter!

How I Sewed my Draft Drapes

Stuff you Need |

A pretty tea towel kitchen towel or fabric

A short piece of dowel

Two curtain brackets (I got mine here)

Two u-shaped nails

Ribbon

This quick and easy DIY project was excerpted from my book 101 Chicken Keeping Hacks available now from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and local feed stores and bookstores nationwide!