automatic coop door opener

[Happy Chooks]

I have 2 from Foy's Pigeon Supplies. (inside mount with light sensor) You can put it on a timer if you like, but the light sensor is adjustable. It's expensive, but well worth every penny. In over 3 years, it has never failed on me. I change the batteries once a year and that's it. (no power needed, just batteries)

http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/electronic-doorkeeper

 

[buttonhead]

Thanks everyone! I'm having a hard time justifying the cost to my husband! I guess that this might be something that I have to save up for and buy with my slush fund.

 

[canesisters]

Hey Buttonhead. I'm puzzling the same thing. I just keep thinking that SURELY I can find something that can be put together - still be reliable - and not cost more than my coop. Right now I have a doggie door that has the security panel. It works really well but a button has to be pulled out to release the door in the morning - so it's not going to be something I can convert. It will have to be replaced - IF I ever get around to the auto door thing.

Best of luck to you. Please let us know what you come up with.

Also - I keep wondering. Those doors that slide up and down in a track - the ones pulled up by a wire or string.... what keeps them from being pushed up by a clever coon?? Just curious.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks everyone! I'm having a hard time justifying the cost to my husband! I guess that this might be something that I have to save up for and buy with my slush fund.

Just tell him that you can't go out of town or be home after dark because you have to close the pop door.

Getting the doors was actually my DH's idea as we didn't want to rely on others to chicken babysit when we go out of town. We have auto waterers for the same reason too.

 

[canesisters]

I've Got IT!

I've asked a couple of my mechanic friends to ponder on this idea.
A windshield wiper motor - but instead of a wiper on the arm, a light weight door.
Mount the motor vertically on the coop wall (I'm thinking outside). When it rotates one way, it raises the door/ramp and closes it. When it rotates the other way, it lowers the door/ramp.

What do yall think?

 

[okallthis4eggs]

I've Got IT!

I've asked a couple of my mechanic friends to ponder on this idea.
A windshield wiper motor - but instead of a wiper on the arm, a light weight door.
Mount the motor vertically on the coop wall (I'm thinking outside). When it rotates one way, it raises the door/ramp and closes it. When it rotates the other way, it lowers the door/ramp.

What do yall think?

How do you supply 12 volts to it?

 

[canesisters]

Still working on that.
Also - how to stop it mid cycle - wouldn't want it flapping back and forth all night. LOL
My mechanic friends apparently think that I've gone completely around the bend and aren't really putting any thought into this.

 

[jed1154]

Oddly, I had pondered the use of a garage door opener but abandoned the idea for fear it would take up too much space. I see that this is not the case. I may come back to this idea. However, its not automatic, which I really need.

 

[Quahog]

HI! I am a mechanic, the very best homemade auto door I've seen is the garage door opener in this thread! If you could figure out how to wire it to a photo sensor that would be the ultimate! Of course you need house current to run it. I looked tirelessly at different ideas on building my own if you do a YouTube search there are many great designs. A cool one on YouTube is one that someone made out of a vehicle window motor. I decided on just buying a door when I add up the time trial and error fuel in search of parts and all it didn't seem worth it. My door works awesome!! The girls get up by themselves and put themselves to bed! I don't have to get up or be home at dusk. I have set up my coop and run so that I can go away for 2 or 3 days and they have more than enough poop free water and food!

 

[Ruth10]

Are there any that are made to operate horizontally? I am making a chicken coop (A-frame) with the roost at the top and there is no door designed for this thing!