ADOR1 automatic chicken door, 1 year later - loving it

[MattWeatherford]

Hey Folks,

We upgraded to Chicken coop 2.0 last year in order to make it rat proof - one of the items we added was the ADOR1
automatic chicken door: http://adorstore.com/products/ador1-automatic-chicken-door

Its been a year now and this door has been super reliable. a couple of notes from long use and my memory of the install.

during the install, make sure the screws that fasten the door dont go in so tight as to warp the frame of the ADOR1,
that can cause open/close problems.

In over 300 days of use, the door only failed to close a couple of times, when the battery was low. pushing the door
down manually seemed to get it moving again.

I just replaced the first lantern battery a month ago - this thing really has a tiny battery usage footprint

Rod also worked with me on programming the door to do a complicated "manual open only, but always close
at dawn" setup - I decided not to go that way but its cool that it was possible, if not techy, to set it up.


Another note, my 2 yr old loves to press the open/close button multiple times when she is out playing with the
chickens in the chicken yard (yes, its messy) but the ADOR always does the right thing at dawn. Its a smart door.
It knows to close if its open at sunset and not just "toggle state" if the kids closed it already.

Anyway, another satisfied customer.

Chiaki did a chicken coop layout posting of our first coop, I guess we owe you guys a new set of drawings for the new
ratproof design.

Oh yea, I also LOVE this ratproof feeder:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/155549133/rat-proof-chicken-feeder-small-size

chickens have fully "decorated it" and it is still functioning great

Matt

 

[peepcluck]

Hello, thank you for your note on the door. I was just about to purchase the pullet shut door and noticed this one. It seems to come as a complete package. Does it have a safety net where if the chicken is in the door way it does not...smash them? The pullet has a thing where it closes, then opens a minute later for the late comer chick. Does this one have an features like that? thanks for your help

 

[lynnehd]

Hello, thank you for your note on the door. I was just about to purchase the pullet shut door and noticed this one. It seems to come as a complete package. Does it have a safety net where if the chicken is in the door way it does not...smash them? The pullet has a thing where it closes, then opens a minute later for the late comer chick. Does this one have an features like that? thanks for your help

I've only had the Ador1 for about 2 weeks. So far it has been great.
I have it set up in my run @ a free range door, as my run is very secure. My pop door stays open.

It does have the 'Last Call' as an option. The default setting from the factory is that this is disabled, but there is a way to activate that option, which I did.

It also beeps if there is an obstruction, and opens back up. After seeing it in action, I doubt any chicken will just sit in the doorway as the door comes down; they will dash off, because that is what chickens do. It closes at a very steady rate.

I think the Pullet door is also a good product, but it didn't work for me with my set up; the door opening is in a spot that I was worried that I would hit the door when rounding the corner.

 

[lynnehd]

Chiaki did a chicken coop layout posting of our first coop, I guess we owe you guys a new set of drawings for the new
ratproof design.

I'm looking forward to your ratproof design pics!!!!

 

[peepcluck]

Perfect! that is right, the pullet hangs out in the open....this is great input. Thank you. Did you have to buy a battery separate?

 

[MattWeatherford]

The ratproofing is mostly building a coop with no gaps for rodents to squeeze in, and using "hardware cloth" on the "open air" sides and
most importantly, the BOTTOM (yes, buried in the soil) of the coop so rodents cant tunnel under and in.

The ADOR1 door uses about 1 6-volt lantern cell battery every 6-9 months. Im on my second battery.
yes, you provide the battery, it doesnt come with one. They are about 8 dollars at Fred Meyer in Seattle.


The ADOR1 is set up by default to close at dusk, then a minute or 2 later it opens again for 2 minutes, then closes
finally for the night. This thing is totally programmable, but its an embedded microcontroller with only 1 button so it
takes some patience and imagination to hold the button down and press it the right # of times to get in to the
right modes and set features - but its all doable. I am happy with the default settings.

Never crunched a chicken or a kid that presses the button - the door reverses if it meet resistance, iirc.

Matt

 

[MattWeatherford]

Hardware cloth image search:

https://www.google.com/search?q=hardware+cloth+chicken+coop&tbm=isch


also eliminating access to your chicken feed for rodents is huge.... see the ratproof feeder in my original post

 

[lynnehd]

Perfect! that is right, the pullet hangs out in the open....this is great input. Thank you. Did you have to buy a battery separate?

Yes, it is as MattWeatherFord said.

I purchased my lantern battery at Walmart. I got the slightly better one for $6.

Hardware cloth image search:

https://www.google.com/search?q=hardware+cloth+chicken+coop&tbm=isch


also eliminating access to your chicken feed for rodents is huge.... see the ratproof feeder in my original post

Thanks for this feedback! I have used the hardware cloth in my entire run and as a 2 foot apron. I am going to consider using it underneath if needed. I have closed all gaps with trim, and Great Stuff in the little 'V's' in along the run/coop roof. I'll just keep going over and over it.

 

[phryan]

I love my ADOR. Had it for over a year, and without a doubt by the time I wake up the flock is already out and catching the morning bugs. At night they are inside and safe, although it took a few months for them all to learn about going inside in time.

The battery lasted about a year. I'd like a button on the inside of the coop, only because it is easier to access if I need ro manually open it.

 

[supchicks]

I have the ADOR too. So far, I'm a big fan. The only thing I'm a bit concerned about is the draft that will come through the little holes along the edge of the door (that the sprockets fit into). It's pretty cold here in the winter so I don't know if that's going to make things worse for my chickens or not. Time will tell!