Guernsy
Songster
- Jun 5, 2020
- 118
- 215
- 116
Hello
I have 10 chickens and 4 ducks (two pekin and 2 black runners). They share a somewhat decent coop run but have their own coops for the night. Chicken and ducks have their own coops that lead into the coop run.
The chickens have an automatic door that has been broken (it was a cheap amazon product that didn't last long) and is now a hand-operated door. The ducks have a door that swings to the right and is closed with a latch.
Every morning, I have to get up at 6 to let the ducks out or they will raise hell. They will start jumping in their coop and get really loud. I usually get up and let them out of their coop and the coop run. They roam around free in our back yard and create a muddy mess as they please. Once the ducks are out. I open the broken chicken door and let the chickens into the coop run. Since it is so early in the morning, I do not let the chickens in the yard yet. There are too many hawks and cats running around at that time of the day.
Around 2 or 3pm I will let the chickens into the yard and they get to roam around free with the ducks as well. At 5:30pm they all go back into their coops on their own and just wait for me to come and close the doors by hand.
Here is my dilemma. I don't want to let them out by hand in the morning anymore, besides I have to travel to see my parents in a month and nobody will be able to let them out at 6 in the morning. My husband goes to work at 4:30 am which is too early to let any of them out since the raccoons are still out and about around this hour.
There is also nobody that I know, that would like to come over that early to let them out. Therefore, I am thinking of electronic doors.
Has anyone installed automatic doors for their ducks, if yes, which one? Has anyone managed to install an automatic door that can swing open to the right or left vs the traditional up/down chicken coop door? I thought about just using a chicken coop door, however my Pekins are quite large and they would not fit, besides they would be scared to walk through such a small opening (they are scardy cats ducks).
I also would like to replace the broken chicken coop door and would like recommendations on what other people have used. I want something that will last and that will not kill my chickens if the door goes down on them (I have some chickens that are special and not the smartest, they might stop in the middle of the door).
I am not too concerned about putting them to bed at night. They pretty much go to bed by themselves and my husband will be back to supervise by 5:30 pm. It is really the morning hours that are a problem.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you,
I have 10 chickens and 4 ducks (two pekin and 2 black runners). They share a somewhat decent coop run but have their own coops for the night. Chicken and ducks have their own coops that lead into the coop run.
The chickens have an automatic door that has been broken (it was a cheap amazon product that didn't last long) and is now a hand-operated door. The ducks have a door that swings to the right and is closed with a latch.
Every morning, I have to get up at 6 to let the ducks out or they will raise hell. They will start jumping in their coop and get really loud. I usually get up and let them out of their coop and the coop run. They roam around free in our back yard and create a muddy mess as they please. Once the ducks are out. I open the broken chicken door and let the chickens into the coop run. Since it is so early in the morning, I do not let the chickens in the yard yet. There are too many hawks and cats running around at that time of the day.
Around 2 or 3pm I will let the chickens into the yard and they get to roam around free with the ducks as well. At 5:30pm they all go back into their coops on their own and just wait for me to come and close the doors by hand.
Here is my dilemma. I don't want to let them out by hand in the morning anymore, besides I have to travel to see my parents in a month and nobody will be able to let them out at 6 in the morning. My husband goes to work at 4:30 am which is too early to let any of them out since the raccoons are still out and about around this hour.
There is also nobody that I know, that would like to come over that early to let them out. Therefore, I am thinking of electronic doors.
Has anyone installed automatic doors for their ducks, if yes, which one? Has anyone managed to install an automatic door that can swing open to the right or left vs the traditional up/down chicken coop door? I thought about just using a chicken coop door, however my Pekins are quite large and they would not fit, besides they would be scared to walk through such a small opening (they are scardy cats ducks).
I also would like to replace the broken chicken coop door and would like recommendations on what other people have used. I want something that will last and that will not kill my chickens if the door goes down on them (I have some chickens that are special and not the smartest, they might stop in the middle of the door).
I am not too concerned about putting them to bed at night. They pretty much go to bed by themselves and my husband will be back to supervise by 5:30 pm. It is really the morning hours that are a problem.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you,
