DIY Auto Chicken Door I Made ~$50

[Thanera]

Ok I'm super proud I made this and got this to work. It might not be super pretty but it works! Based it off this post from a long time ago: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-diy-automatic-chicken-pop-door-opener-closer.717940/


It's an auto pop door opener using two pumps to transfer water between two containers. The can on the right will fill or drain with water two times a day to open or close the door in the coop right next to it. Planning on 'cleaning it up' a bit to make it look nicer. Maybe enclosing it. I feel like this might be the easiest out of all the auto coop openers because you can easily find all the supplies at your local hardware store and you just plug things in. No having to crazy wire things together. The pumps are cheapest online but most home improvement stores sell fountain pumps but they are usually more expensive.

My door in action-

Important components:
- Depending on what you already have it'll make the cost go up or down.

• 2 submersible pumps- Ex. https://tinyurl.com/m3j8w4j7 ~$10-$20
• 2 Containers with lid that the pump can fit in.- I used empty paint cans and estimated it would take about a gallon of liquid to open and shut a door.
• Plastic tubing that fit the pumps to go between the two containers
• 2 digital timers- have to per percisce on how long each pump runs. (each of mine run for 2 minutes) $5-$10
• Pulleys $1-$2 Each
• Rope
• "Water"- Using windshield washer fluid seems to be the best option since it wont freeze down to -20F $2
• Something to mount it all on, a simple wood box etc.

 

[Thanera]

Made it slightly nicer looking. It is behind everything so no one is ever going to see it anyways

 

[Joyfillednomads]

Ok I'm super proud I made this and got this to work. It might not be super pretty but it works! Based it off this post from a long time ago: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-diy-automatic-chicken-pop-door-opener-closer.717940/


It's an auto pop door opener using two pumps to transfer water between two containers. The can on the right will fill or drain with water two times a day to open or close the door in the coop right next to it. Planning on 'cleaning it up' a bit to make it look nicer. Maybe enclosing it. I feel like this might be the easiest out of all the auto coop openers because you can easily find all the supplies at your local hardware store and you just plug things in. No having to crazy wire things together. The pumps are cheapest online but most home improvement stores sell fountain pumps but they are usually more expensive.

My door in action-

View attachment 2621999

Important components:
- Depending on what you already have it'll make the cost go up or down.

• 2 submersible pumps- Ex. https://tinyurl.com/m3j8w4j7 ~$10-$20
• 2 Containers with lid that the pump can fit in.- I used empty paint cans and estimated it would take about a gallon of liquid to open and shut a door.
• Plastic tubing that fit the pumps to go between the two containers
• 2 digital timers- have to per percisce on how long each pump runs. (each of mine run for 2 minutes) $5-$10
• Pulleys $1-$2 Each
• Rope
• "Water"- Using windshield washer fluid seems to be the best option since it wont freeze down to -20F $2
• Something to mount it all on, a simple wood box etc.

What do you do when the water in the metal cans evaporates?

 

[Joyfillednomads]

Made it slightly nicer looking. It is behind everything so no one is ever going to see it anyways

View attachment 2622150View attachment 2622151

Are you using a medium or oil instead of water?

 

[SteveE]

What do you do when the water in the metal cans evaporates?

Looks like a closed system...... if true, that's not an issue, since there's nowhere for the water vapor to escape

 

[Thanera]

Are you using a medium or oil instead of water?

Im so sorry I'm getting back to you so late! I'm actually using windshield washer fluid so it will not freeze and it's a mostly closed system. There is a very tiny amount of evaporation, I only noticed one day that the door wasn't quite opening up all the way so I just topped it off with a funnel in one of the holes I have the tubes feeding through.

 

[lizo97]

Very clever!

 

[Thanera]

Little two month update: Still working perfect. Did have to make some tiny fine tune adjustments just to make it work better but hasn't yet failed me yet through rain or snow! I did change the timers to smart plugs so I can more easily adjust when they open or close or if I need to I can close/open the coop from inside the house, but that hasn't needed to happen yet.

 

[Unswydd]

Ok I'm super proud I made this and got this to work. It might not be super pretty but it works! Based it off this post from a long time ago: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-diy-automatic-chicken-pop-door-opener-closer.717940/


It's an auto pop door opener using two pumps to transfer water between two containers. The can on the right will fill or drain with water two times a day to open or close the door in the coop right next to it. Planning on 'cleaning it up' a bit to make it look nicer. Maybe enclosing it. I feel like this might be the easiest out of all the auto coop openers because you can easily find all the supplies at your local hardware store and you just plug things in. No having to crazy wire things together. The pumps are cheapest online but most home improvement stores sell fountain pumps but they are usually more expensive.

My door in action-

View attachment 2621999

Important components:
- Depending on what you already have it'll make the cost go up or down.

• 2 submersible pumps- Ex. https://tinyurl.com/m3j8w4j7 ~$10-$20
• 2 Containers with lid that the pump can fit in.- I used empty paint cans and estimated it would take about a gallon of liquid to open and shut a door.
• Plastic tubing that fit the pumps to go between the two containers
• 2 digital timers- have to per percisce on how long each pump runs. (each of mine run for 2 minutes) $5-$10
• Pulleys $1-$2 Each
• Rope
• "Water"- Using windshield washer fluid seems to be the best option since it wont freeze down to -20F $2
• Something to mount it all on, a simple wood box etc.

OMGOODNESS! This is so smart! Good job Thanera!!! I have been looking into a pop door but they're so expensive and I'd rather have an electric fence so I'm going to go with this idea! Thank you for the pictures and videos. I have everything I need except the empty paint cans so I'm stoked!!!

 

[i_only_listen_to_dgd]

Very cool!!