Auto chicken doors...

[ch1ckenmama]

We bought an D20 Add-a-motor chicken door opener to an existing door, They are available on Amazon for less that $100.00 It works with a lamp timer and vertical sliding door. We've been very happy, the string (fishing line) broke once in the 2 years we've had it.

Do you have electric in your coop? I'm not sure if solar is available.

We do have electirc avaliable in the coop. My hubby eneded up buying the ADOR brand. We get LOTS of direct sunlight and it is battery ran as well. Hope it works well for us

 

[6PeckinChickens]

My husband ordered the ADOR yesterday. I didnt see this until today. Our coop is has lots of direct sunlight so we should have no problem with that. We did read about the battery but my husband said that they are pretty cheap at Walmart. Hope it works out for us. If not Ill look into the one you recommended.
Thanks!

We are looking at getting an automatic door. Please, let me know how you like this one!

 

[Cindy in PA]

I have the auto door advanced model from Fleming outdoors & it is the best! I runs on electric & battery. I got it almost 2 years ago when it was very new & it developed some problems & has been replaced 2 times. Current model is fantastic! The customer service has been awesome. The advanced model runs by your gps coordinates & changes open & closing times with the season, no sun required. You can also use it on a timer. It also has the second chance option. I had my own door, so only purchased the module.

 

[6PeckinChickens]

I have the auto door advanced model from Fleming outdoors & it is the best! I runs on electric & battery. I got it almost 2 years ago when it was very new & it developed some problems & has been replaced 2 times. Current model is fantastic! The customer service has been awesome. The advanced model runs by your gps coordinates & changes open & closing times with the season, no sun required. You can also use it on a timer. It also has the second chance option. I had my own door, so only purchased the module.

I will have to check this one out! We are going out of town the beginning of June for 2 weeks, so I need to get one ordered in the next couple of days.

 

[lynnehd]

@6MotherCluckers and @ch1ckenmama, I love my ADOR automatic door. Going on 2 years now. My batteries, from Walmart, last forever. I only change them because I might be leaving on vacation and I want to be preventive. My door is in part shade, so I added the 'external sensor' for $15 and it opens early and closes later. Absolutely no problems. Read over the web site, including updates. I do oil the tracks about every 6 months, as they suggest- just dribble it in the top of the tracks, open and close the door, and that's it! It's a great product.

 

[6PeckinChickens]

@lynnehd I was also looking at the ADOR, I like the last call feature on it. Happy to hear you love it! How was your experience with their customer service?

 

[lynnehd]

@6MotherCluckers, customer service was decent, not great. I really didn't have any issues, so didn't test the customer service much. They did respond to most emails; sometimes I had to pursue it a bit. I did learn quite a bit on their web site by going to the 'blog', etc.
I programmed in the Last Call feature. And it came in handy- initially a chicken was locked out and trying to figure out how to get in. I watched, and sure enough, 5 minutes later, the door opened and in she went. Now with my external sensor positioned facing East, the door opens earlier/closes later, so this feature hasn't been needed, but it's nice to know it's there.

 

[6PeckinChickens]

@lynnehd, Good to know! The last call feature would be awesome! Our fear would be is that one of them gets locked out!

Now my dilemma is that my DH spoke with some of the people he works with that have chickens. They don't lock theirs in at night, their coop and yard isn't set up like ours. I call ours the prison yard. We have the bird netting over top and we buried chicken wire around the outside perimeter. Since we have done all of this the hubby doesn't want to spend $200 + on an automatic door. I don't blame him, but I don't wanna lose any of the girls either!

 

[lynnehd]

The people at work with less secure coops have just been lucky, or don't have the predators in their area. Probably just lucky- maybe for years, but it probably won't last. At some point, one of them may wake up to find their entire flock has been wiped out.
Bird netting over the top will protect against hawks (daytime), but not nocturnal predators like fox, weasel, raccoons, etc. So you still want to lock up your chickens at night, even with a great run like you have.
Either you can open and shut the coop door yourself every day, or you have have your auto door. Both ways work, it is just a matter of convenience, I guess.
Good luck!

 

[6PeckinChickens]

That's what I've been trying to tell the hubby! I don't want to have to have him learn the hard way and it cost one of my girls their life! Like I told him when we adopted them, we made a promise to protect, feed and care for them! I'm sure if I keep nagging, I'll get a door! Thank you for all of your input-it's been very helpful!