automatic door or coop extension?

[Yakisugi Coop]

I'm at a crossroads and I thought I'd post to see what opinions are out there. Our current setup has a coop attached to a secure run that the chickens have access to 24/7. We also have a manual sliding chicken door that we open and close each day that allows them to go into a fenced area of our backyard. This has worked well for the past few years. We're adding new birds to the flock, however, and that will mean the secure run will no longer have the requisite 10 square feet of space per bird. That's fine when we're home because they have access to the much larger fenced area but I worry about bullying when we go away on vacation and they're locked up in a smaller space. Here are the options I'm considering:

1. Build a 3' x 4' extension to the run, which would give the chickens 10 square feet of secure run space each when we go away on vacation. An advantage to this idea is that the extension could serve as a quarantine area (there would be a sliding chicken door that goes into that space) and I'm also thinking about building it such that it could detach from the main coop and run and serve as a stand-alone secondary coop (e.g., when raising/quarantining pullets). Other benefits include: It would add more covered space during inclement weather, and it would add a perch to their secure run (currently their only perch option in the run is in the not-secured space, which doesn't seem like a huge problem because they don't seem to be "perching birds"--they rarely use it and prefer to hunker down on the mulch when resting).

2. Install an automatic door so that when we are away on vacation they can still use their fenced in area. This is appealing in some ways because then I wouldn't have to build a run extension. But I am a worrier and I fear that I wouldn't feel comfortable when we go away. I'd wonder, "Is the door closing properly at night? Did all the girls get in OK? What if one of them hopped the fence and couldn't figure out how to get back into the run?" (The hopping the fence possibility is remote, but still I think I'd worry). I would also lose out on all of the advantages that come with a run extension/secondary coop. We do have a small pre-fab coop that we use as a secondary coop, but it's a bit of an eyesore and not very high quality (so it might not last that much longer).

What do you think I should do? For those with automatic doors and non-secure run areas, do you worry when you go away on vacation? Does anyone out there have a run extension that can double as a secondary coop if need be? If so, do you have any photos of your setup you could share?

Thanks in advance for any advice/thoughts you may have!

 

[KyCoop]

We have the an auto door on the run to the chicken yard and we and the girls love it. We built our coop, run and chicken yard with vacation in mind.
You will need to make some modifications to the chicken yard before you will feel more secure when you leave. Keep in mind it will take time to train them to come into the run before the door closes for the night. We don't have issues with anybody getting locked out until the seasons start changing and we forget to reset the door time. Our fault, not theirs. You will need to add "hawk string" over the entire area. It looks tacky but it works. Finally you need to put up extra tall fencing , such as the plastic deer fencing, to help deter the ladies from jumping the fence or in our case getting spooked and accidentally going over. And lastly make sure you have someone stopping over to check on everyone.
And don't forget about the extra food and extra, extra, extra water to put out. Our sitter only has to gather eggs and do a head count.

 

[JaTexas]

Sounds like a nice plan much like we devised. Ours is fully covered with chicken wire, sides, top and I purchased a 2 mile (smallest we could find) electric fence which will be about 4 inches off the ground around the entire run and coop which should keep digging critters from eating our flock. We live in a very isolated town and critters go from rodents to Wild Hogs and/or Alligators.....Time will tell. Our coop is NOT walk in but has two large panels one on each end to clean and service the feed and water that we have inside as well as in the shaded area under the coop all enclosed as a part of the run area. Our coop door is automatic and currently blocked off with a piece of plywood to keep the chicks in the coop until we are ready to let them roam in the run. It is set to open at sun-up and close at sunset each day. I hope the chicks can figure out when it will be opening and closing..we shall see soon.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For those with automatic doors and non-secure run areas, do you worry when you go away on vacation?

Not really. I do make sure my timer is set properly before going on vacation (and that the low battery light isn't on), but the door has been pretty reliable so I don't worry about it very much.

Your option #1 also sounds feasible as well, so that could work exactly as described.

 

[Soonermagic254]

I'm at a crossroads and I thought I'd post to see what opinions are out there. Our current setup has a coop attached to a secure run that the chickens have access to 24/7. We also have a manual sliding chicken door that we open and close each day that allows them to go into a fenced area of our backyard. This has worked well for the past few years. We're adding new birds to the flock, however, and that will mean the secure run will no longer have the requisite 10 square feet of space per bird. That's fine when we're home because they have access to the much larger fenced area but I worry about bullying when we go away on vacation and they're locked up in a smaller space. Here are the options I'm considering:

1. Build a 3' x 4' extension to the run, which would give the chickens 10 square feet of secure run space each when we go away on vacation. An advantage to this idea is that the extension could serve as a quarantine area (there would be a sliding chicken door that goes into that space) and I'm also thinking about building it such that it could detach from the main coop and run and serve as a stand-alone secondary coop (e.g., when raising/quarantining pullets). Other benefits include: It would add more covered space during inclement weather, and it would add a perch to their secure run (currently their only perch option in the run is in the not-secured space, which doesn't seem like a huge problem because they don't seem to be "perching birds"--they rarely use it and prefer to hunker down on the mulch when resting).

2. Install an automatic door so that when we are away on vacation they can still use their fenced in area. This is appealing in some ways because then I wouldn't have to build a run extension. But I am a worrier and I fear that I wouldn't feel comfortable when we go away. I'd wonder, "Is the door closing properly at night? Did all the girls get in OK? What if one of them hopped the fence and couldn't figure out how to get back into the run?" (The hopping the fence possibility is remote, but still I think I'd worry). I would also lose out on all of the advantages that come with a run extension/secondary coop. We do have a small pre-fab coop that we use as a secondary coop, but it's a bit of an eyesore and not very high quality (so it might not last that much longer).

What do you think I should do? For those with automatic doors and non-secure run areas, do you worry when you go away on vacation? Does anyone out there have a run extension that can double as a secondary coop if need be? If so, do you have any photos of your setup you could share?

Thanks in advance for any advice/thoughts you may have!

Get an automatic door. You will tell yourself I should have gotten this years ago. I replace the batteries in mine once a year and have never had an issue.

 

[Mouthpear]

I Would go with Option #1

If you go with Option #2, you can always use a SONOFF DW2 Wi-Fi Wireless Door Window Sensor,APP Alert for Home Automation Wireless Alarm Security System, Compatible with IFTTT, No Gateway Required. $12.99 (Disclaimer Amazon affiliate link.)

Using Alexa or Google though EweLink it can be set up to let you know that the door closed. It does take a few steps to setup but I can take a few screenshots as a guide. If you have some smart bulbs or outlets, you can also set them up to blink or change color as a signal that the door did not close. This video I made of a demo dor has a tiny part where I show it work.

One more thing. If you have an old Smart Phone, the free EweLink app will let you use (1) phone as a "webcam". This alone can be setup to in your home and pointed at the coop door. If you are worried, if the door is closed or not, all you have to do is open the app and see the door. You can also use the phones internal storage to save video. $9.99 per year will give you access to use up to five phones.