Automatic Coop Door Problems

[powerw]

I wanted to ask some "advanced" questions about the automatic doors on the market. First, it seems that the electronic boards that are in use by all the manufacturers are similar, and I haven't been able to figure out a couple of basic things about proper operation.

First, there are times when something on my coop and runs is under construction and I simply want an "OFF" mode for the door. None of the items I see for sale seem to have a mode like that. The only way, which is unreliable, is to set the mode to T-T and have the exact same time set for open and close. But this doesn't seem logical. How could you have an automatic door that doesn't have a simple "off" switch?

Second, I understood from other threads that automatic doors were usually designed to give some sort of warning chirp prior to closing, so that chickens could respond and get in the coop before the doors close. But none of the doors I see advertised seem to have that function, and the ones I have do not.

I got two doors off Amazon, and while the door mechanism seems good, the electronics are highly unreliable. I keep finding chickens trapped in various hours of the day, regardless of the T-T, L-L, T-L, L-T mode settings and the values set in the timer panel. Looking for some good quality recos please.

VR,

Bill

 

[Chickenpoonumber2]

This is the chicken door I went with. Mostly because I absolutely hate the track that most of the chicken doors are on. A tiny thing gets stuck in them and this causes them to malfunction. There is a tiny on/off switch on the side if I remember (I don't use that function) it came with a remote control which promptly stopped working but other than that the door itself works very well. Like most, you can set it T-T or L-L, and it has a clock that you set. 4/5 would recommend.

 

[Sefirothe]

On older models at least, Run Chicken lets you do timer, light or manual. And if you are doing light, you can also set a delay as well.

I do not know if these same settings exist with the new Bluetooth controller that works with the door motor that they removed the opening button from.

I do open/close based on light with the shown 1 hr delay for closing. The door is on the shaded side of the coop and we frequently have gloomy rainy periods of weather so I wanted to give the chickens ample time to get inside.

My model of door doesn’t chirp before closing, but the light on the front does flash. Not sure if chickens would pay attention to that or not.