How reliable are automatic coop doors?

[linguini]

I'm very happy with my Run Chicken door. My coop is attached to a secure run. Makes life so much easier since I do shift work.

It can run off a light sensor or you can set it to open/close at a specific time.

We installed the Run Chicken door last summer, it's such a blessing. Especially when we have to go on vacation, all we need ask our neighbors to help is to collect the eggs, and add feeds/water every few days. Asking someone to come to the coop twice a day is quite a chore/favor to ask.

Highly recommended - easy to install and we simply use the default option (open/close 20 min after sun rise/set. ) We have not replaced the battery yet. It's been almost 6 months.

 

[Mouthpear]

It has been great up until the -14F showed up early this week which according to the specs for the timer its good to around 10F.

Are you saying the timer failed? Was it inside or out of the coop? What timer is it?

 

[Mouthpear]

the company changed names so they don’t have to cover it.

Was it the Company that changed name or the Seller?

 

[ConnieRobin]

We bought two doors last summer before vacation. Seven months later they are malfunctioning by randomly changing the times for no reason except that it could only be some sort of panel failure. We unplugged our final coop door tonight after the panel changed our times on us again today, two days in a row.

We lost the neighbors poor runaway chicken in the small coop. The door started opening in the middle of the night. Not good at all; thankfully we put two and two together and shut the other door permanently.

I guess my point is just know electronics can fail and pull the plug immediately if the doors start failing. I've lost 1/2 a coop of chickens to raccoons before and it's not a great thing to see. Not on my watch ever again.

 

[Jakemedic]

Was it the Company that changed name or the Seller?

When I contacted them they sent this response. what is ironic, if I clicked on “buy again” it sent me to the exact same door being sold by the other company.

 

[Mouthpear]

When I contacted them they sent this response. what is ironic, if I clicked on “buy again” it sent me to the exact same door being sold by the other company.

Yeah these sellers (mostly for China) have more than one store. They will sell the door from one store with a slightly higher price and sell the same door from another store cheaper. Sometimes not even a price change , just better pictures or more detail. All to give you the illusion of a better quality door or better bargain.

 

[BY Bob]

Many people contributed with telling how great their automatic pop door are. But very few told for how many years.
If I want to know if a product is thrust worthy, I would like it to work for 5 years or more without problems.

I need to buy a new one some of these days (after 8 years) and I really would like to know if anyone has a automatic pop door that lasts more than 5 years without any problems.

My Ador automated door has been running continuously since 2017. That's 7 years now.

 

[Mouthpear]

Many people contributed with telling how great their automatic pop door are. But very few told for how many years.
If I want to know if a product is thrust worthy, I would like it to work for 5 years or more without problems.

I need to buy a new one some of these days (after 8 years) and I really would like to know if anyone has a automatic pop door that lasts more than 5 years without any problems.

Now that one thing I can't do for you. I DIY. I can tell you how long the parts have lasted but that too is not going to hel much since I bargain shop. What I buy may not be available for long or not at all. Now I will give similar or products that if I was buying again, those what I would buy. Of course it the same product is still being sold by the same seller, I'd give up that info.

 

[BDutch]

We bought two doors last summer before vacation. Seven months later they are malfunctioning by randomly changing the times for no reason except that it could only be some sort of panel failure. We unplugged our final coop door tonight after the panel changed our times on us again today, two days in a row.

We lost the neighbors poor runaway chicken in the small coop. The door started opening in the middle of the night. Not good at all; thankfully we put two and two together and shut the other door permanently.

I guess my point is just know electronics can fail and pull the plug immediately if the doors start failing. I've lost 1/2 a coop of chickens to raccoons before and it's not a great thing to see. Not on my watch ever again.

That sucks. But you should get them fixed for free if you have a warranty.
Which brand and type ?

BTW, I have been reading most ‘up and down’ auto doors are too easy to open for racoons.

 

[Mouthpear]

most ‘up and down’ auto doors are too easy to open for racoons.

Just arguing semantics here:

Most STRING type 'up and down' auto doors are too easy to open for racoons. I dare them to try and open an 'up and down' auto door made with a Linear Actuator.

Now I don't know the exact statistics about what types of doors are used for chicken coops but I am willing to bet that a great deal are made with linear actuators.

JS.

But yeah most of the Most STRING type 'up and down' auto doors are too easy to open for racoons. I honestly don't see the point in most of those.

LOL Of course I LOVE MINE.