ADOR1 Automatic Coop Door?

[LaurenLauren2007]

We are putting the finishing touches on our new 8'X16' coop and needed some recommendations for automatic coop doors. We won't be getting our replacement flock in until May 7th so I have plenty of time to shop around. I was really interested in the ADOR1 door, but it doesn't seem to be very popular yet. Does anyone currently have, did have, or knows of someone that uses this door? I'd like some real life feedback. Here is the page link if that helps:

http://adorstore.com/products/ador1-automatic-chicken-door

 

[ZipleR]

I purchased an ADOR1 for my coop in September of 2018. It has been installed since then and we love it.

Here is my experience with it so far.

1) It is configured to open ~3 hours after sunrise.
2) The light sensitivity is turned to high
3) It is configured to close at sunset
4) Last call configured
5) Installed a rechargeable Ni-Cad lantern battery from Walmart ($5 clearance in Fall)
6) Installed a Rayovac High Performance 6V Solar Battery Charger to charge the battery (also $5 clearance in Fall) (just actually installed it, even thought the battery was not low yet)
7) We live just north of Chicago, and it gets dark early, cold and snowy.

We have absolutely no issues with the chickens letting themselves out in the morning. As soon as the door opens, they are lined up and running out.
It took only a few evenings for the chickens to get used to getting in before the door closed in September. (At the time, we did not have the light sensitivity turned up or last call setup).
As November/December rolled around, the door was closing earlier than the chickens wanted to come in and we would frequently have 2 to 4 of 10 chickens who needed help getting in.
That's when we increased the light sensitivity and last call features.
Since we enabled last call, many of the chickens have learned that they no longer need to come in until the door is closed. When it closes the first time any who is not already in runs over and wait outside the door until it opens again and rush as soon as it does. We have only had a couple of nights where 1 chicken needed help.

While we haven't had it that long yet, I have never had any issues with the door not opening or closing as I would expect it to.

Here are some things I think may be useful for others

1) I installed the door about 8" off the ground so the chickens wouldn't need a ramp. As it turns out, neither do the Possums or Chipmunks.
We had 1 possum living in the coop for 6 nights eating their food and eggs. I have a camera in the coop and saw when the door closed him in the first time and he was freaking out running in circles and trying to pry it open. (Yes, it can keep critters in as well as it keeps them out!!). Anyway. After 1 night of being warm and well feed, he didn't leave until I evicted him. He only awoke to eat a few times a night.
The chipmunks will just occasionally grab an egg and run with it. Not a big problem yet.
So, lesson learned there. The ramps into a coop are probably important deter predators from entering. We will keep an eye on it and hopefully won't have many more issues - but I may need to lower the chipmunk population soon.

2) Programming the Ador can be confusing. I think my confusion was due to the order the instructions were written.
1) Steps for Programming Mode
2) Show Program
3) Change a program setting

This order lead me to believe that I had to WAIT for show program to finish before entering the new program settings.

This is however not the case at all. Its easier to read 1, 3, 2 - and if you skip doing 3, then 2 happens either way.

3) If possible always start the Ador with the door 1/2 way open (I jogg it up before disconnecting the battery). If you connect the battery with the door fully down, it will try to close the door further and cause the gear to slip several times. It doesn't sound good and didn't seem to damage anything, but was concerning because I had to enter programming mode a couple dozen times before realizing show program shouldn't run before programming.

At this current time I have a 4" LED light in the coop hooked up to a smart outlet and use ITTT to turn the coop light on 30 minutes after sunset and turn off each night at 10:30pm. I initially intended to add a relay switch to control the light using the AUX port (Ovalight function), but I kind of like this setup a little better since I like the light on later in the evening rather than early in the morning.

One feature that I am really hoping is ready soon is the ability to keep the door closed below a specific temperature. So far we have not had any below 0 (or -15) degree days yet - but when it does get that cold outside I would prefer the door did not open. I know they are working on the feature a hope there is nothing preventing the implementation of it.
For those of you interested, I was told it may be ready this winter yet, and that the Ador already has the temperature sensor built in. The firmware needs to be updated and the sensor needs to be calibrated at the factory - so the board will need to be shipped back to Ador before the feature is available.

While not related to the Ador, other things that I did to help keep them fed and fresh water was

1) Used a Tupperware container (about 20 gallon) and used a hot razor blade to cut four 3" holes into it and then epoxied in 90 degree plumbing elbows so I can dump a whole 50lb bag of chicken feed into it which lasts 2-3 weeks. The 90 degree elbows keep all of the chicken poop out and we have not needed to clean the inside of it once. (The elbows point down, so the chickens can peck at the bottom of the Tupperware).

2) I used a 14 gallon drum I purchased from Amazon with a nice plastic/sealed lid. On the side of the drum I installed about 10 horizontal chicken nipples - which have not started leaking yet.
I then cut a small hole in the plastic lid and placed a 100W fish tank heater in the drum. (Sealed the whole with more epoxy). This water lasts the chickens at least 3 weeks. Just need to make sure the water level does not drop too low to expose the tank heater. I also add a little bit of bleach/chlorine to the water to prevent it from growing algae. (7-9cc per 14 gallons works fine.)

I have been reading this thread since last spring, and really appreciate everyone sharing their ideas and advice.

Thanks!

 

[TheGeekySheep]

I think it all depends on the features you're looking for and what you value more, time or money. I work full time and I'm pretty busy even on my off hours so time is valuable to me. That antenna might just be 5 dollars but if I added up the hours and gas spent finding a junk yard, looking for the part, and then looking for the other parts to make it work (power source, wire nuts, wire, timer, all of which I'd probably just buy new at the hardware store to save time) we're getting way past 5 bucks. Then there's the time and lumber or sheet metal to actually build a door to use it on. Plus the time to put it all together and rig it up so it looks tidy (a must for me).

After all that it still doesn't have some of the features that I'm looking for like running on a battery, the option to add a remote switch outside the coop, or automatically adjusting the open/close time with the changing of the seasons.

This isn't to knock it or say it's not a good idea, because frugal options are always appreciated and I love DIY projects. Everyone's coop and scheduling needs are unique, so the antenna door might be perfect for some (money over time) but the ADOR1 is perfect for me (time over money).

I'm looking forward to cutting a hole in the coop, screwing it on, throwing a battery in it and having a glass of tea.

 

[Murphy212]

Hi All: was just browsing through the forum looking for fox deterrent ideas and saw this thread about the Ador1 door. I have had this door installed on my coop for five years yes 5 years and have NOT had one problem with it. It works perfectly every single day and I consider it the best money I ever spent on my chicken adventures. I do change the battery about every 12 to 18 months or so. Mainly because like most battery operated things, they stop working at the most inconvenient time. To not have to go out every morning and every evening to let chickens out of the coop is absolutely priceless to me. I highly recommend this door.

 

[paneubert]

For the anal-retentive, mine it going to be about half an inch above the top of the wood backing when open....haha. That cluster of umbrellas is my two kids hiding from the noise of the saw. Since I will be mounting this on the side of an aviary that is currently 90% hardware cloth, I wanted a nice large chunk of backing. That is why there is so much wood around the door. 24 wide by about 36 high for a door that is only a 10.5 by 12 inch opening.

I painted it with some exterior "paint and primer in one" from the "OOPS" section of Home Depot. A nice purpley color. Only 2 bucks for the paint, so can't complain.

 

[slackker]

I made mine from the automatic car antenna plans. It works very good. Cost was very minimal. Used a timer and two 12 volt power supply. I have a video on You Tube of it working.

 

[gardendufus]

I think the little white door in the pictures above operates with power and I worry about it being pulled open by critters. Help Please

I think that almost all of the commercial auto doors are made to operate from battery power, often solar charged. The Ador1 which was the initial topic of this thread runs from batteries so inexpensive they can be easily (and not that often) replaced.

As to critterproof, I have the pullet-shut and I defy any critter to pry that door open. In all honesty, I think all the different brands have taken predator 'prying fingers' into account in their design.

The only further thing I can say is how nice it is not to make my first and last actions of the day be a trip to the coop to close the door. Also nice not to wake in the middle of the night with the 'OMG, I forgot to close up the coop door. The auto door has freed me to take vacations, while assuring my 'pet sitters' that the chickens are really no trouble at all.

 

[mischke]

I think it is when you are training chickens to return to the coop at night you leave a nightlight on in the coop for them and as it starts to get dark outside they move toward the light and therefore put themselves to bed.

 

[paintwife]

I rationalized the cost as- Would you pay someone $3.85 a week (or 55¢ a day) to let your chickens out each morning and lock them back in again at night, without fail? I would. And after the first year you wouldn't need to pay it anymore but still get the same service

I think it's peace of mind and money well spent.

And I think it was 2 weeks from the time I ordered it until it showed up at the door.

 

[TheGeekySheep]

Hi SW ! I cut mine according to the dimensions and it fit great when the door finally arrived

Same here, I used the schematic on the website and it was a perfect fit when the door arrived.