Automatic (chicken controlled) coop door DIY

[Manningjw]

I like it! I work night shift, so I'm not there to close the door, and I don't want anything electrical. I like the drawer slide idea too.

This is exactly the reason why I wanted to build this kind of mechanism - I also work night shift(nurse) and now that it is still daylight before i leave for work, I cannot close them in before leaving anymore. While I have a lot of experience with wiring/motors etc - I am far too cheap to purchase the components needed for an electrically operated door.

 

[carnivore]

Well, now I need to do some experimentation for length of pivot arm, amount needed to completely close and open door, and how to stop the chickens from jumping off the roost bar when it sinks!

 

[Manningjw]

Well, now I need to do some experimentation for length of pivot arm, amount needed to completely close and open door, and how to stop the chickens from jumping off the roost bar when it sinks!

One thing you can do is sketch out a roughly scale drawing on a piece of paper. Basically you need the furthest point of the pivot arm to move about the same distance as the door takes to open if you are using a door in track type of coop door. Hinged doors will work differently.

The other thing to keep in mind - make the pivot arm longer than you need and you can adjust the hook connection closer to the pivot point if you need less movement than you have. Also, my chickens don't seem to mind the drop in the arm as it falls, and the friction of the cord on the pulley system seems to slow the drop.

 

[tishabear]

I'm in the planning stages for this type of door, but just thought of a question. Do you adjust the weight so that all the chickens are roosting before the door closes, or do you assume that some will roost and some won't? What happens if all of the chickens are not in the coop, but there are enough chickens on the roost to close the door? Would chickens hop off if they hear a fellow chicken squawking outside?

I'm a newbie chicken owner, so I don't know anything about the roosting habits of chickens. Right now, my 5 week old chicks don't roost much when sleeping.

 

[Davidhalpern2]

Love it!!!! I did the DIY auto antenna door and although it's great 90% of the time! when the power goes out it's a pain in the butt

 

[Mehjr10]

Love it!!!! I did the DIY auto antenna door and although it's great 90% of the time! when the power goes out it's a pain in the butt

If you put a 12v battery in the coop to run the antenna motor, and then use a trickle charger or solar panel to keep the battery charged. You will not have to worry about the electricity.

 

[hagemeyp]

Friction and chicken poop is your enemy.

I plan on automating my door as well, however using servos and hall effect sensors. My current setup uses a solar panel / battery charging system, and a raspberry pi to take pictures and tweet them.

 

[hagemeyp]

I'm putting together an e-book about my wired coop. It'll contain my electronic projects - and the plans and code you need to build them yourself. Would anyone be interested in that?

 

[Mouthpear]

patent, trademark or copyright your idea quickly.

There are 100 year old drawings of chinese people using this. The concept is definitely not new.

 

[Mouthpear]

Friction and chicken poop is your enemy.

I plan on automating my door as well, however using servos and hall effect sensors. My current setup uses a solar panel / battery charging system, and a raspberry pi to take pictures and tweet them.

"however using servos and hall effect sensors" overkill, I think so but still would like to see.