Automatic doors

[NP Farmers]

My fiance and I are building our coop and wanting to put a automatic door in so that we dont have to go out every morning and night. We feel as if it would give us a good piece of mind to have an automatic door incase we go on vacation or not have to rush home at night. Experience with automatic doors and suggestions of which ones to look at or that you find well made would help.

Thank you

 

[Kjf18]

There are two primary types -- guillotine-style doors that slide up and down, and doors that swing out. We have a Pullet Shut door, which swings open like a traditional door, and really like it.

There have been several very helpful threads regarding both types over the past few weeks, with photos, links to manufacturers, advice on building your own (if you're so inclined) and various users' experiences, I recommend searching for them.

KJF

 

[gardendufus]

I think you will find that anyone that has an automatic door loves them. Any reputable door will have proponents, as there's little difference in operation, other than as stated by KJF.

That said, I have the pullet-shut also. Have had it since April, with nary a problem (well, one, but it was my fault). It was extremely easy to install, only had to cut a hole, drill 4 holes for the bolts, and screw it in, attach the motor to the wall, the solar panel to the roof and the light sensor. Was basically a plug-n-play. I think most of them are plug-n-plays. I found the customer service to be excellent. I love not having to remember to open/shut the door (I'm old and the memory goes first). I used the pullet-shut, because I didn't have enough 'upward' clearance on my coop to have a door that raised up and down.

You have the option for having it either on a timer or a light sensor. The light sensor is great because you don't have to reset it like you would a timer during changing seasons as day lengths change. My girls are always in the coop something around 1/2 hour before the door closes, so never a locked out bird. They have a feature where the door closes, then within a minute re-opens for a short period of time in case of 'late arrivals'. Seems pretty stupid to me, as that assumes 'late arrivals' are gonna be within a minute of the close, but it doesn't hurt anything. Just an unneeded feature.

Like KJF said, there are many threads on this. If you don't get many responses here, go looking for them and you'll get pretty much all the info you want. Maybe you or your fiance are not electrically/mechanically challenged like I am and would like to build one. I have seen them made with garage door openers, drapery pull motors, etc.

 

[teach1rusl]

We have two auto doors (in two different coops) and as gardendufus said, I doubt you'll find someone who doesn't appeciate them. Ours are just run from drapery motors, we used our own lexan doors/tract, digital timer, and counterweight. One's been going strong since 2009, and the other we added last year. I worried about using the light sensor because I wasn't sure what would happen if a storm blew through - when the skies suddenly darken/fill with black clouds.
Anyhow, I still have someone come by to check on my birds when I'm away for the weekend, because I worry about what would happen if we lost power... They're great if you like sleeping in! And it's nice if you're out for a late dinner, knowing that they're shut inside (although I still always check on mine each evening, because you never know.
When it comes to feeling secure about my birds' safety, a well built, secure, covered run has meant more to me than the auto doors - the auto doors appeal to my laziness though...lol.

 

[kiwiegg]

Pullet shut (chickendoor.com)people have very good customer service and the door is awesome and easy to set up. I hate crappy material in anything I build and this door is very well made and integrates easily into coop design.

 

[Kjf18]

I worried about using the light sensor because I wasn't sure what would happen if a storm blew through - when the skies suddenly darken/fill with black clouds.

The light sensor on the Pullet Shut door is programmed to close the door only when it has been quite dark for a period of time. (I have seen, but don't remember, the exact specs.) This prevents the door being closed when a dark cloud passes over. I have never had a problem with mine. Honestly, putting this door on our coop was one of the best decisions we made.

KJF

 

[gardendufus]

To the OP and Teach1...The light sensor is actually VERY exact. We have almost daily storms during certain times of the year here, and it never gets dark enough during a storm to trigger the door closing.

This is actually something I talked about with their customer service with, and whatever the light level it is looking for, to either open, or close, has to remain constant for 5 minutes before the mechanism reacts to open/shut the door. So if you went out at night with a flashlight, you would have to shine it directly on the sensor for 5 minutes for the door to open. Don't be skeered, there is an easy way to open/close the door manually and override the programming if you wish.