Automatic Chicken Doors

[TOPChickens14]

TOP Chickens14

I also chose the Omlet Chicken Door. Ordered it yesterday and expected delivery is next Tuesday. I still have to put the roof and walls on my chicken coop house and hope to be finished by next weekend. Have you got you Omlet door installed yet?

I haven't yet. I have been too busy and the weather hasn't been cooperating. I'll let you know when I do.

 

[TOPChickens14]

I also wanted to mention, that if you get the 12v adaptor, it will mess with the electronics in the door. My door wouldn't open but it would close when I was testing it when I got it. So just make sure if you bought the 12v adaptor, and it's not opening for you, try using batteries. Mine worked perfectly after I used the batteries.

 

[TOPChickens14]

I installed the door today!

It was extremely easy. The instructions tell you exactly what you need to do. Because the current door hole was a lot larger than the Omlet's required opening, I had to do a little more work. Because I needed to cover the outer coop walls (they had old paint and it was easier to use L1011 to cover the walls) I covered the entire coop wall with L1011 ( a type of plywood). I screwed the L1011 right over the existing chicken door hole. Then I cut the Omlet's required spacing out of the L1011. This solved my issue of having to make the existing hole smaller.

The chickens fit through the door nicely. I am using batteries in the controller and I am going to use the time mode because I like it better. I'll let you know how it works in the coming days! I highly recommend it.

https://www.omlet.us/shop/chicken_keeping/automatic_chicken_coop_door_opener/

 

[omextreme]

We have the omlet and so far no complaints. Simple to install and easy to use. Cannot speak to the longevity but it seems solid.

 

[lv9777]

We have the omlet and so far no complaints. Simple to install and easy to use. Cannot speak to the longevity but it seems solid.

DO you think this door would be large enough for large Cochins?

 

[omextreme]

DO you think this door would be large enough for large Cochins?

I am completely new to chickens. I cannot help here. I will say it feels narrow but all my ladies are smaller still so currently they fit through with ease.

 

[TOPChickens14]

LOL I just read back my post and realized that I called the boards L1011. L-1011 is an airplane model. I got it mixed up with T1-11 which is the correct name for the boards I used.

I don't have any cochins so I can't speak on that but I do have a very large bird that can fit through it.

 

[Happily Retired]

I don't have experience with the ones you mentioned, but I have been very pleased with our KEBONNIXS Automatic Door from Amazon. It was around $100. We purchased in fall 2021 and since then, have only changed the batteries once. It's been extremely reliable thus far. We have temps that sometimes drop below zero here in MA and it still works like a champ. Very rarely, the sky will be too dark and cloudy in the AM to trigger the light sensor to open, so we had to open manually. I can't fault the door though; it was extremely dark that day. I love that it can run based on light and/or time. Also, ours is covered by a metal roof and still, the light sensor works very well. So no need for it to be in full sun all the time.

P.S. There was one time when our 4 month old pullet (who's pretty odd) decided to roost in the doorway so the door did shut on her gently. It doesn't have a bird sensor. It is very light and moves slowly though, so no harm was done. Had we not gone out to move her, I think she'd have slept like that all night. She seemed comfy.

I looked at the KEBONNIXS on Amazon and they were out of stock. I am a little concerned about these door operators designed like a sluice gate operated by a cable and gravity. What safeguard do these have to prevent the pesky, furry banditos from lifting up the gate and gaining access? These rascals are smarter than a lot of people I know and would think it wouldn't tale them long to figure out how to lift the gate.

Thanks!!

 

[Dreammaker]

I looked at the KEBONNIXS on Amazon and they were out of stock. I am a little concerned about these door operators designed like a sluice gate operated by a cable and gravity. What safeguard do these have to prevent the pesky, furry banditos from lifting up the gate and gaining access? These rascals are smarter than a lot of people I know and would think it wouldn't tale them long to figure out how to lift the gate.

Thanks!!

You know, to be honest, I never really thought about that, as their coop is attached to their run, which has a predator apron and 1/2" hardware cloth everywhere, in addition to carabiners on the latches (plus, they don't free-range and the door to their run is always kept closed). Yes, you're right in that the Kebonnixs door is probably not predator-proof on its own, but I hadn't planned on my coop door (whichever one we opted for) needing to be. If this door were used between the run and outside, it would absolutely be ineffective against those rascals

 

[Happily Retired]

You know, to be honest, I never really thought about that, as their coop is attached to their run, which has a predator apron and 1/2" hardware cloth everywhere, in addition to carabiners on the latches (plus, they don't free-range and the door to their run is always kept closed). Yes, you're right in that the Kebonnixs door is probably not predator-proof on its own, but I hadn't planned on my coop door (whichever one we opted for) needing to be. If this door were used between the run and outside, it would absolutely be ineffective against those rascals

I hadn't thought about using carabiners. Good idea! I will have to remember that as I finish up my coop. Best Regards.