automatic coop door opener

[Quahog]

Use the one I did it swings open like a normal door. "Pullet-shut".
You can program when to open and shut or get the photo sensor like I did!
It is even endorsed by Rob Ludlow.

http://www.chickendoors.com/products.htm

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

Yes, we really need an automatic coop door! Our chickens are at my boyfriend's house 15 minutes away from my apartment and he stays at my place about three nights a week. You get the idea! But we don't have hundreds of dollars to spend. If anyone has come up with a good homemade version, please let us know! Battery powered would be awesome.

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

Actually, a friend of mine just suggested an interesting idea for an automatic coop door involving two pulleys, a coffee can with a small hole in the bottom, a five-gallon bucket of water, and a small fountain pump on a lamp timer. Here's his description:

"Put a vertical sliding door on the coop. This has a rope on the top to a pulley, over to another pulley, attached to a coffee can with a pinhole in the bottom. Under the coffe can is a five-gallon bucket of water. Put a fountain pump in the bottom of the bucket, that when turned on by a lamp timer will pump water up and into the coffe can. In the morning, timer turns it on. Pump pumps water into the coffee can faster than the pinhole in the bottom will let it out. Once can reaches a point, it gets heaver than the door on the other end of the pulley.
At night, pump shuts off. Coffe can drains, gets lighter than the door and the door lowers itself shut."

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Actually, a friend of mine just suggested an interesting idea for an automatic coop door involving two pulleys, a coffee can with a small hole in the bottom, a five-gallon bucket of water, and a small fountain pump on a lamp timer. Here's his description:

"Put a vertical sliding door on the coop. This has a rope on the top to a pulley, over to another pulley, attached to a coffee can with a pinhole in the bottom. Under the coffe can is a five-gallon bucket of water. Put a fountain pump in the bottom of the bucket, that when turned on by a lamp timer will pump water up and into the coffe can. In the morning, timer turns it on. Pump pumps water into the coffee can faster than the pinhole in the bottom will let it out. Once can reaches a point, it gets heaver than the door on the other end of the pulley.
At night, pump shuts off. Coffe can drains, gets lighter than the door and the door lowers itself shut."

And what happens when the water in the bucket freezes.

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

And what happens when the water in the bucket freezes.

Well, here in Seattle we only have freezing temps - barely - about once or twice a year, so we could shut off the pump and close the door manually during those times. I'd keep the bucket inside the coop where raccoons couldn't mess with it, and the heat lamp will be on if it does freeze. We could also add antifreeze and put a lid over the bucket with a hole for the rope.

 

[Quahog]

I love my pullet- shut but if money is that tight check out this one form youtube it is activated by the chickens roosting!

 

[okallthis4eggs]

I love my pullet- shut but if money is that tight check out this one form youtube it is activated by the chickens roosting!

I like it but the number of chickens on the bar is important. If one roost somewhere else the door will be open. If you make it close with four chickens and you have five or more chickens one might get locked out. But still a cool idea

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

Cool video, but what if one of my chickens gets taken by a hawk while I'm at work and I don't get home until after dark?

 

[Intmid8tor]

I have the chicken butler automatic door.... DO NOT ORDER THIS DOOR YOU WILL BE GREATLY DISAPPOINTED. Has been a pain since installed, you have to keep taking it apart and resetting it often, any time a chicken bumps it up a little bit.

 

[BeccaSmith]

I have the chicken butler automatic door.... DO NOT ORDER THIS DOOR YOU WILL BE GREATLY DISAPPOINTED. Has been a pain since installed, you have to keep taking it apart and resetting it often, any time a chicken bumps it up a little bit.

We have the exact same problem with our Poultry Butler auto chicken door! We have had it for about a year and a half and we are so frustrated with it and are looking to replace it with something that works reliably!