How complicated to install an automatic door?

[TwoShepherds]

Could anyone tell me how complicated/involved it is to install an automatic coop door?--A brief look at the websites isn't giving me a lot of info on installation, and I have to decide quickly if I want the builder to add one to my coop. Do you have to cut a new chicken door and install complicated wiring, or can you just screw it over the existing door and use batteries/and or an extension cord to power it?

If it's complicated to install or involves cutting, I'll let the builders do it, but if it's easy to do I'd rather wait until my checkbook cools down (haha). I won't have the chickens for a while, so I won't need it immediately.

I work about two 12-hour night shifts a week. The first morning I sleep in so I can stay up all night, and the other morning I don't get home until 0745 or 0800. Hubby isn't too interested in chicken-tending, so I imagine with my work schedule it would be wonderful to have an automatic door. Thanks for any insight.

 

[Sueby]

Mine was relatively easy to install, but it did include removing the old door & building a new one. I know there are kits out there that come with the door, that might be an option for you.

Basically we removed the old door (it just had 1 hinge at the bottom) & built & attached tracks for the new door. We cut a piece of aluminum to size & drilled a small hole in the top for the string. We had to install 2 pulleys because we didn't want the controller on top of the door, we needed it around the corner. If it's a straight shot up for you you won't need pulleys.

I guess it would depend on your abilities, what your current door looks like & what door you go with.

 

[TwoShepherds]

Thanks, all the videos and instructions I could find involved cutting out a new door. I was hoping I could just add one over the door that was already there. I don't really want to pay the coop company any more than I already am. I'm kind of nervous that a door made with my building skills might look crude, but the video I saw didn't look too hard, and I could put it in back perhaps. I can imagine scenarios where it might come in handy someday to have two doors. Did you have to do anything to make your auto-door predator proof?

 

[Sueby]

My door is in the run, which is predator proof, but we did install an L channel at the bottom on the outside so if a racoon or something got in they couldn't lift up the door from the bottom. I wish I had a pic for you.

 

[coach723]

I have this one:
https://www.poultrybutler.com/
It is complete as is, as long as your opening is the correct size, it's very easy to install. Otherwise you would need to resize your opening. Mine is actually on the inside of my outside covered run out to the open run, I modified a large plastic bin and mounted it over it to protect it from any weather blowing sideways. My covered run is predator proof, so this gives them access to the coop and covered run 24/7, and only in the open run during daylight hours. If you install inside a coop, you don't have to do that, it's good to go. I've had mine for about 3 years, very happy with it.
It works on either a timer or light sensor, I use the timer so it won't lock them out in a thunderstorm when it gets pretty dark out.

 

[woodmort]

See my post "On Pop Doors and Coops" about the kind I installed. Installation was easy, use a reciprocal saw, cut a 26.5 X 13.5-inch rectangular hole, slide the door into the hole, put in 4 screws and plug into an outlet. After that it took about 20 minutes to connect it to the Internet.

BTW, the door I use operates using a worm gear so, unless a coon has a crow bar, it is going to be predator-proof.

 

[Ghosty]

I'm making an auto door based on this design. Timer, power adapter, actuator, and relay is all you need. Hook it up to solar or 110v. You could send the coop company the plans. I spent around 60$ for the parts for mine. Just need to get off my butt and finish it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-diy-automatic-chicken-door.1295391/

 

[TwoShepherds]

After a bit of poking around, I believe I found the auto-door the coop company uses. It got some mixed reviews on Amazon, so I think I will probably just pick one out and install it myself. Thanks everyone for all the links, pointers, and websites, I'm going to spend some time reading through everything, and looking up the other threads mentioned.

 

[woodmort]

One final suggestion in re to automatic pop doors: Make sure you get or build one with a battery backup. Nothing like letting your birds out, having a power outage and then not having the door close. While it may be ok if there is some way to override the mechanics manually, it would create a problem if you were relying on a timer or solar sensor and were not around to close it.

 

[coach723]

One final suggestion in re to automatic pop doors: Make sure you get or build one with a battery backup. Nothing like letting your birds out, having a power outage and then not having the door close. While it may be ok if there is some way to override the mechanics manually, it would create a problem if you were relying on a timer or solar sensor and were not around to close it.

Excellent point. My door is on a solar system. It runs off a car battery which is charged by solar panels, I never have to worry about power outages (which we have a lot of).