Coop defender automatic chicken coop door opener

[aart]

these cats are relentless

Have you seen them kill any chickens?
Might be good to start trapping the cats and disposing of them.

 

[Wrooster]

...
Might be good to start trapping the cats and disposing of them.

If this sounds heartless, think about what those cats will do to songbirds when they can't fill up on your chickens.

 

[bill3607]

I have a coop defender gold. What do you need to know about it?

 

[bill3607]

Please anyone have any skills on how to initially calibrate this device during initial setup? I have Ferrell cats trying to destroy my flock....911 emergency please someone help me

Joe, the only thing you have to do to is tie the string to the door. It comes with a few inches of string already out. If that is not enough you can pull more out. There is a certain way you pull it out. you will have to remove the screws and go inside the unit.. I cannot remember exactly but it does tell you in the paperwork you get with the door. If you do not have that then let me know and I can probably locate my paperwork. It will calibrate itself on the closed position so you will just need to have enough slack out only for the open position. The only problem I had initially with mine was not closing. The rails cannot be aligned in anyway that puts the door in a bind. So, you have to have the width just right to allow some play but still stay within the track. Also, the surface you are mounting it to has to be perfectly flat or you will have a problem since it basically closes with gravity, so it will stick with just a little resistance to it. To solve that problem I tied a piece of wire with 3 large washers on mine to give it some weight and that worked like a charm. See the washers I have hanging in the picture I attached.

 

[bill3607]

Please anyone have any skills on how to initially calibrate this device during initial setup? I have Ferrell cats trying to destroy my flock....911 emergency please someone help me

Also, if you need help in programming it let me know. You can program it to open and close with light or open and close with time or a combination of light and time example: you want to open at daylight but close by time or vice versa.
You can also adjust the amount of light or lack off light, for when it closes or opens. Which, that gets a bit confusing and makes it kind of easy to get it out of whack. So, probably best to go with the factory settings on that.
I use mine on time for open and close. I let it close about 45 minutes after dark to be sure to give the ladies a chance to get inside. Then I just have it open at 6:00 in the morning. If using time you will probably want to adjust that as seasons change.
All in all I love mine.

 

[Joe Gillett]

I have a coop defender gold. What do you need to know about it?

Any way you can call me 5195731475 southern ontario Canada and despatate

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Any way you can call me 5195731475 southern ontario Canada and despatate

You can message people privately for things like this. BYC is relatively trustworthy, but we are still a bunch of internet strangers over here. Hover your mouse over the person's username, and you can see the link "start a private conversation". I wish you the best of luck! I would consider building an enclosed run if you are that nervous about cats. I personally love cats. Very much a cat person over a dog, but a feral cat is a feral cat. Ferals make more ferals. I would strongly consider trapping them to euthanize them or at the very least, spay and neuter. Many, many vets will do feral neutering for free or little cost. I can't help you with the door issue.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Cats hunt all day...how old is your flock?
It sounds like a door won’t be of much help.
If you had proper protection on ALL of your coop, this wouldn’t be happening.