Automatic garage door Chicken Door

[Rock Home Isle]

That is such a cool idea...totally awesome-alicious.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Any garage door company can sell you the gear you need. As for the track it is the same track used on regular garage doors. The hinges and the rollers are for a regular garage door as well. The piece of track needs to be at least twice as long as your door is high. Example: If door is 18" tall you need at least 36" of straight track. Hope that helps

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Update....I used the automatic door today. Was curious to see the chickens reaction. All of them were off the roost and on the floor of the coop. A couple of them turned and walked away from it when the motor started but nobody panicked. It only takes about three seconds to fully open. Once it was opened they headed outside. After they roosted I used it again to close the door watching from a window. Nobody flew down or reacted. Next I will try a morning surprise opening and check their reaction. Will report back. Some had expressed concerns regarding the chickens reaction to the motor.

 

[Back2Roots]

Update....I used the automatic door today. Was curious to see the chickens reaction. All of them were off the roost and on the floor of the coop. A couple of them turned and walked away from it when the motor started but nobody panicked. It only takes about three seconds to fully open. Once it was opened they headed outside. After they roosted I used it again to close the door watching from a window. Nobody flew down or reacted. Next I will try a morning surprise opening and check their reaction. Will report back. Some had expressed concerns regarding the chickens reaction to the motor.

That's great news! Thanks for letting us know.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

This thing works great. The chickens got use to it real quick. When the motor starts its like ringing the dinner bell everybody runs out the door to the covered run to look for the goodies. It was raining one morning and I simply used the remote control from the house and a few seconds later I could see the chickens scratching around inside the covered run while I drank coffee. The light is really handy too inside the coop while working in there and also I think it helps the chickens see where they are landing when they fly down early in the morning before it gets full daylight. The light stays on about 4 1/2 minutes then goes off automatically. By that time they are off the roost and outside getting a early start. At night I usually use the button on the wall inside the coop to close the door after taking a head count but I wouldn't be afraid to use the remote from the house because after dark I know exactly where they will be at on the roost.

 

[blondvet]

That is so cool! What a great idea. My dear husband is in the finishing stages of our chicken house; I'll have to pass this idea on to him.

 

[Dutch552]

Check Craiglist for garage door openers. A lot of people upgrade when they buy a new home and will sell an almost new one for a fraction of the cost of a new one. I picked up a Chamberlain for my garge last year for $50-still had the box and all the paperwork. If I had electricity in my barn I would SO have one of these. Great piece of ingenuity!

 

[laturcotte1]

OMG this is so nice. We have an aggressive roo. My husband opens the coop up every morning but has to close the doors in order to go in and collect any eggs and always forgets to re open the doors. I work from home and will hear the commotion and have to walk back down to open the doors. How handy would that be. Clever, clever!!!

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Best thing I did when I built the coop. Love this door opener. Has anybody else installed one?

 

[okallthis4eggs]

With the new My Q technology from Lift Master the pop door could be opened or closed from anywhere in the world by a smart phone or a computer. Go to work before daylight? No problem open the door from your computer or smartphone at work. Working late? Get on the computer and lock them up. Vacation on the other side of the earth or on a cruise? You can open or close your pop door anytime you need to.