ADOR1 Automatic Coop Door?

[ErinsFlock]

We just bought the Ador 1, my husband installed it on our new coop this past weekend but he ran out of time and didn't get the sensor part installed yet. Although I can't comment yet on its functionality, it is a really nice door. My husband said he didn't have any problems with the installation. I like it so far because it looks nice in my coop ! I will come back and repost this weekend and let you know how it works for us.

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

Help! I'm at my wit's end. We had a new coop built for our flock of six. The Ador door was installed a couple weeks ago and has been working perfectly on auto setting. We allowed the ladies to start sleeping in the coop last Thursday. Having a heck of a time getting them all in at night. One of them has been shut out three nights in a row, but we when we manually re-opened the door for her, she went in after a fashion. Leaving town for 10 days Thursday -- these birds need to get with the program! Today, I took the the instructions into the coop, and unscrewed the cover to enable the last call option. For the life of me, I cannot get that cover off! What am I doing wrong? Here it is unscrewed (with Sweetie supervising -- she's the one who keeps getting locked out!) And here it is unscrewed and lifted apx 1/8" .

The back side of the lid (that you cannot see in this photo) has a lip on it that is probably 1/4"-1/2" wide. You need to lift the lid higher in the back in order to remove it. From the photos, it appears that maybe your hole that has been cut to fit the door isn't large enough to lift the lid any higher. If not, you may have to ensure that you cut it larger in order to prevent this issue in the future.

 

[So Cal Chic]

The back side of the lid (that you cannot see in this photo) has a lip on it that is probably 1/4"-1/2" wide. You need to lift the lid higher in the back in order to remove it. From the photos, it appears that maybe your hole that has been cut to fit the door isn't large enough to lift the lid any higher. If not, you may have to ensure that you cut it larger in order to prevent this issue in the future.

I received several responses and suggestions--thank you.

Windy Bay Farm, I think you are correct--the hole should be a little larger. I didn't realize there was a lip on the back of the cover so thank you for that. With that information I was able to wedge a slender, long screw driver in to jack it up and then it easily slid out. That solved that problem--and it actually went back on quite easily.

I enabled the last call option, but don't think I will need it. I changed the light sensitivity setting to open earlier and close later, and that did the trick. Every body got inside the coop well before the door closed and, for the first time, found their way up to the perch. Yea for the ladies!

 

[tcstoehr]

Indeed, the cover is best removed by lifting the back side first. When I installed my Ador1 I intentionally left some headroom above just to allow easy access to the cover. Although as I did so it left a gap large enough for some varmit to get in, so I had to install a bit of 2-by-4 on the inside to seal it up.

 

[Lenadr]

I've had my pullet-shut door for over a year and I really love it. It's super easy to set up and to set the timer.

I also was reticent about the automatice sensor, especially since some of my girls are "night owls" so to speak, and don't go to bed until the last bit of sun is gone. I got the solar panel for it. It's up on the roof and it charges the battery which sits right next to the door and puts out the power. The only problem I had was once when a raccoon, in an attempt to get at my birds, kicked over the battery and the wires disconnected from the door. At 9am there were some very cranky chickens in their roosts! But as long as you keep the battery safe from movement, it works like a charm.

I cannot tell you the peace of mind it's given me. Incidentally, I live quite close to the makers of the pullet-shut and went to pick up my door at their facility. The gentlemen are extremely friendly, willing to help with any problems, and I feel confident that if I ever had a serious issue with the door, that they would work with me to make it right.

 

[Coopish]

Welp, that did it for me.... nerds unite over chicken doors! I'm ordering tomorrow...
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[merryreader]

I've had mine almost a week now. It was easy to install and all we really had to do was put in the battery and push the up/down button. It opens at first light and closes each night about 1/2 hour after the last hen goes in. I was worried about it closing on a hen because it hurt to hold my hand under it momentarily. It does go up if it hits something. But my hens are all inside on the roosts when it closes. I love mine!

 

[T-traveler]

I just got mine yesterday and installed it today. It was a breeze and the instructions for changing the programming are fairly easy to follow. I enabled the "Last Call" feature and put the door in place. This evening after all the girls were in the hen house, we went in to make a final count and while we were in there the door closed all by itself. Also today, I finished the door on the run, so when the ADOR1 opens in the morning the girls will have full access to the run and we won't have to go out there until later to let them out for their free-range time.

 

[minnehaha]

I have an ADOR chicken door and thought maybe it is time I wrote a review. I've had it since around July 20th, 2014. First off, I LOVE this door, it is peace of mind, easy to install, sturdy, attractive, and functions beautifully!!! Best $200 I ever spent!

I installed mine on the inside of my coop with the optional outside light sensor because we are still working on the outside of the coop. I programmed it myself and installed it myself, my husband seemed very impressed so ssshhh, we shouldn’t tell him a monkey with a screwdriver could install it, it’s so easy. I mean really, all you do is put the door over the opening and screw it into place!

I set the timer to open earlier and stay open later, plus have it open again for 5 min a second time in the evening for stragglers. So far I’ve had no stragglers, but I’ll leave it programmed like that just in case it is ever needed.
The door has worked almost flawlessly. The only problem I have had was during a super duper bad storm that made it so dark out in the middle of the day that the sensor thought it was night and closed the door. Then, after the storm blew through, the sensor told the door to open back up because it was light.

It wouldn’t be too big of a deal except for the winds were 70 miles an hour and blew hundreds of trees down, lightening hit a tree ½ mile from my house and caused a forest fire that was blowing our way, not to mention a power outage. The chickens were shut out of the chicken coop through the storm. However, my neighbor found them huddled up inside of our very large shed that use to be a chicken coop (former owners chicken coop), and has a chicken door that is always open. The flock found refuge in that old coop.

A week later we had another unbelievable storm that knocked down hundreds of trees, wide spread power outages and tons of fires. The door did the same thing as it did in the last storm. Granted these were unprecedented storms, very rare and it got very dark out. So, I am not worried about these fluke incidents. In fact, during the power outage the door was wonderful to have. And I was very glad that it was on a battery since we had no power. I don’t think I’ll have trouble with early shutting during our dark and gloomy winter, but if I do, I’ll use a light on the sensor to activate the door.

Recently, I happen to be outside when the door opened at dawn. My coop has big windows so I can see inside, as soon as the door started opening, it signaled my chickens to get up! It was like it was their alarm clock. I thought it was funny......no snooze for you my feathered friends, get your fluffy bottoms off of that roost and go to work, you have nothing to do and nowhere to go, and all day to get there, so get to it!

Everybody I know who has chickens loves this door and is planning on buying one. It is a hit. Once again, best $200 I ever spent.

 

[Gryphon]

Necroing this thread because I posted here before about the ADOR1. I've had ongoing issues with the motor acting "sticky" and draining batteries like crazy. Reading the instructions, I found that you're supposed to be able to lift the door manually without power but it was impossible to do with the motor still attached. So I ordered a new one, and now I can slide it up...But it won't lift the door on its own power. It just whirrs and tries to open, but when it's lifted it can close on its own just fine. Since the biggest reason I want the automatic door is so it will open in the morning, this isn't making me happy. Also, it has a new trick where it slams down, as seen here: