Automatic chicken door??

[Happy Chooks]

Hello everyone. I'm new here, but have been snooping for a while.

Does anyone have a chicken door that automatically opens and closes? It's a pain when we go out of town to have a neighbor come 2 times a day to let them out and put them back in.

I want to keep my chickens safe.

 

[Tecalli]

This sounds like a great idea. But how would you know all the chickens are inside before the door automatically closes? Wouldn't you run the risk of one being possibly left out? But having an automatic opener at sunrise, even when you are not out of town, sounds like a good idea.

 

[patandchickens]

There is a commercial one available for I think around $175+, or Nifty (Rob, whose board BYC is) has a good thread on how to build one. Use the 'search' utility in the blue banner above and you can find it, it's a pretty long thread.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
I thought of that too, but I figured I could set it (assuming it's on some sort of timer) to close an hour after they are usually all in for the night.

 

[flopshot]

i could have used one today. circumstances got me out of my routine and i forgot to let the girls out. luckily i was able to get my mom to walk up to the house with one of the kids across the street. i'd be happy with a unit that would open only. i thought about modifying a garage door opener since it has intregal limit switches and could be mounted just about anywhere to operate a rope and pulley system.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I wouldn't want one. I'd worry that one got left out and I would worry that the door wouldn't be secure enough or locked in place to prevent preditors from just lifting it up.

And I like going out to the coop to check to see how everyone's doing, give fresh water, and snacks like fresh grass or fruits and veggies.

 

[mener6896]

Here is a link to the one I am building. I got the motor already, I think it was like $80? I ordered it online. Hopefully, I will get mine done this weekend.

http://www.buildeazy.com/photo-chicken-coop-beatarticle.html

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I've got the expensive one from Floyds. I love it!! It's set to let them out at 7am and closes at 9pm. You can use either a timer or the light sensor. I do have to adjust it with the change of seasons but that is a really small hassle. My girls come and go into the run as they please and I don't have to get up early to let them out or rush home to lock them up.

 

[valentinebaby]

There is a previous post and pictures by a fellow BYC'er who made his own. Do a search - here's a few I found:

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/auto-coop-door-prototype.php
http://dragonflypower.com/doorcloser.htm

 

[consdrs]

I can't believe I spent 10 months with chickens and didn't have a pop hole opener. go check out my automatic pop hole page. it is still under construction and I haven't put the step by step on but you can get the gist of it. we built another one for my new coop last week, and took pictures we have been using the old one smoothly since February. they are up at the crack of dawn and it closes about a half hour after sunset. You wouldn't believe how clean the coop stays when they are off the roost and out the door. I hardly have any poop on the floor! just on the droppings board. that is another good reason to build one. we have about 50.00 into each one. its worth it!!


Connie

PS you won't believe this but we have a "chick" cam in the corner of the run. we can rotate it up and down and it swivels back and forth. We can log on to the internet and check and see if any one got left behind. but they are well inside by the time it closes. I think we need a hobby....