Best Automatic Chicken Door

[Aleelupton]

We are looking to purchase an automatic chicken door for our coop. We want something that can use solar power and adapt to the changing seasons with light sensor. We have looked at the Chicken Guard door and Pullet Shut door. We have no experience with either of these and would love some advice from people with personal experience. What door do you have or what would you recommend?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Rebel58]

I have the Pullet Shut door. Battery operated but also has a charger if you have electricity to your coop. This is the newly installed door on my current project. My first one was purchased 3 years ago and aside from oil for the hinges occasionally it has operated flawlessly even through the bitter cold Pa. winters. Works on photo sensor opens at daylight, closes at dusk. It has a second open/close at dusk for late-comers. My birds have learned that the door opens and closes a second time and they patiently wait to be let inside.

 

[RojoMarz]

We have an Ador. It has a sensor and it's battery operated. Ador has a larger opening than most other door. We have larger breed birds, so that was a plus for Ador. I looked at Pullet Shut, but was concerned with the door standing open and our wind. We have very strong winds frequently and the pop door location is not be protected from the wind.

 

[DaisyG2317]

X2 pullet shut

 

[imnukensc]

Have had the ADOR1 for a few years now. Works great and has never been a problem. Just replaced the original battery a few months ago. Great, worry free door that has always worked. Not sure if you can add a solar option to it, but the cheap 6V lantern battery it works with lasts a long time. Looked at the Pullet Shut and from reviews on here seems like a very good door, but I did not want something that "stuck out" when opened.

 

[Bakersdozen13]

I have the Pullet Shut door. Battery operated but also has a charger if you have electricity to your coop. This is the newly installed door on my current project. My first one was purchased 3 years ago and aside from oil for the hinges occasionally it has operated flawlessly even through the bitter cold Pa. winters. Works on photo sensor opens at daylight, closes at dusk. It has a second open/close at dusk for late-comers. My birds have learned that the door opens and closes a second time and they patiently wait to be let inside.
View attachment 2295335

I am thinking of getting this door but can not find many reviews on it, just the tutorials on their website, which are mostly pretty old. Do you ever have an issue with the birds trying to roost on the door while open?

 

[DaisyG2317]

I am thinking of getting this door but can not find many reviews on it, just the tutorials on their website, which are mostly pretty old. Do you ever have an issue with the birds trying to roost on the door while open?

I have used this door for going on 8 months and my flock has shown zero interest in roosting on it.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I would like to recommend the run-chicken auto door. They are a small company out of Slovenia with eggcelent customer service and a really solid product for the price point. It used AA batteries for power and a drive sprocket for moving the door. It is very similar to the Ador door at about half the price. I acrually paired my run-chicken door with an Ador awning. The run-chicken door claims water proof bugt I figured keeping it out of direct rain/snow will A)prolong life of components and B)prevent water from freezing in the tracks during the colder months.

I have both the Ador and the Run-chicken.
The Ador is basically perfect. Very predator proof. Battery (6v lantern) lasts around 8 months. The awning keeps it dry. Programmable (I use the stock settings) and mine has worked at single digit temps. With the awning it is about 300.
The run-chicken so far works great, but I got it about a month ago and have not tested yet in colder temps. Slightly less solid materials than Ador. Runs on more common, but shorter lasting AA batteries. Shipped DHL from Slovenia very fast. It made it through like 5 countries before I got USPS mail across 5 states. My only gripe is the actual door opening is a few inches smaller. I use this on my guinea coop and have had no issues, but I can maybe see very large chickens having a problem. With an Ador awning about 175 bucks.
https://www.run-chicken.com/product-page

 

[Bakersdozen13]

I have used this door for going on 8 months and my flock has shown zero interest in roosting on it.

Thank you for such a quick reply! So you are pretty satisfied with the door overall! It is one of the biggest purchases for our coop and I just want to make sure I get the best automatic door