Auto door crushes hen

[Bald Bee Man]

Anyone ever heard of a auto coop door crushing a chicken ?
I built mine, knowing this could happen but never expected it to. I always joked if a chicken got cought by the door it was not the the smartest chicken in the coop. ..
Got 12 19 week only comets, last night they were not going in as early and ki da blocking the door. Tonight I set it for 30min later 10pm vs 9.30. 9.20 there were 5 huddled at the door I pushed them in. One sat under the door facing in. I assumed when the slow moving door started to close it would move in. I'm thinking now the hen was roosting there. Maybe it kinda squatted when tje door touched it... I just don't know. I have NEVER had chickens hang by the door. I normally am not out there, tonight i was. It just sat there as the door closed. I could not stop it in time. I want to know if this is common. I think it's got to be extremely rare. I'm thinking of putting something that would tickle the chicken first. Maybe broom bristles. .... I'm just stunned.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

It may be too dark in the coop. If they are staying out later and you don't have a lot of windows they may not be able to see well when trying to go roost.

 

[lazy gardener]

My door is light enough that the weight would not be an issue for a chicken, unless it was a chick.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with PP that your timing of the door closing may be off. I re-adjust my door any time the birds are hanging out side when it gets close to curfew time. They are always on the roost before door closes.

 

[Bald Bee Man]

Good thought but There is plenty of light from night light outside.
I'm thinking now the one just liked that spot to roost. Just got the hens 7 days ago. The lady told me, "one thing different about this year's batch, they want to roost on the floor" in the last 6 nights never saw that. They were on the roost or poop board. Until this one tonight. I did set the timer tonight BEFORE this happened to close 30 Mins later. ..

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Anyone ever heard of a auto coop door crushing a chicken ?
I built mine, knowing this could happen but never expected it to. I always joked if a chicken got cought by the door it was not the the smartest chicken in the coop. ..
Got 12 19 week only comets, last night they were not going in as early and ki da blocking the door. Tonight I set it for 30min later 10pm vs 9.30. 9.20 there were 5 huddled at the door I pushed them in. One sat under the door facing in. I assumed when the slow moving door started to close it would move in. I'm thinking now the hen was roosting there. Maybe it kinda squatted when tje door touched it... I just don't know. I have NEVER had chickens hang by the door. I normally am not out there, tonight i was. It just sat there as the door closed. I could not stop it in time. I want to know if this is common. I think it's got to be extremely rare. I'm thinking of putting something that would tickle the chicken first. Maybe broom bristles. .... I'm just stunned.

How horrible! I just bought an auto chicken door and it is still sitting in the box. I have wondered about that, hopefully that does not happen with my door!

 

[rebrascora]

I have certainly read at least 2 other posts on BYC about this happening but I have a feeling there will be several more that I have not seen, so probably not as rare an occurrence as you would like to hope.

There is plenty of light from night light outside

Having a night light outside will encourage them to stay out later. I would do away with an artificial light especially if you have a window in the coop. That said, I might also do away with the automatic door if it had crushed a hen in front of my own eyes!
How about making it uncomfortable to roost there in some way. They probably do it because there will be a cool breeze being drawn through the hole, just like my horses like to stand in the doorway of the stable. Maybe put something uncomfortable on the floor

 

[Bald Bee Man]

In the past years no problems with them going in even with night light. This was not about them going in as much as hanging at the door. Once I pushed them in they the other 4 went up on roosts.
This one stayed where I thought was near the door not directly under. I did comment to my wife the very same thing that there might have been a cool breeze at the doorway... That makes since....
As i lay here I'm thinking more and more how I can add ticklers a few inches below the bottom of the door. This would hopefully annoy them and get them to move before the door would ever touch them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have certainly read at least 2 other posts on BYC about this happening but I have a feeling there will be several more that I have not seen, so probably not as rare an occurrence as you would like to hope.

I've heard about this too and it's something that I had to think about while weighing pros and cons with getting a door. In the end I feel the pros outweigh the cons, but stories like this are a reminder to me to do regular checks on the condition of the door and all moving parts, and to make sure I adjust the timer to give the chickens as much time as possible to get in the coop, though in OP's case the issue was young birds wanting to roost in the doorway. Hopefully the idea of installing something to make it more uncomfortable to sit there works out, so there's not another accident like this.

 

[drumstick diva]

I think if it is uncomfortable in the doorway they won't go in at all. I'm a worry wart and always thought that auto doors were not the best thing. I figured they would close and some late comers would be stuck outside and get eaten, or frozen or whatever the weather. So sorry for the poor hen.