How reliable are automatic coop doors?

[teesngln]

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.

 

[LuciferRoo]

I am going to go slightly off topic but as I read through the entire thread, some people listed their reasoning for getting an automatic coop door.
I have just installed one on one of my 3 coops.
It is a test case and so far, after 3 days, I like the door.
My main reason for wanting these doors is to ensure that when the sun goes down, the chickens' house is locked.
It is not to reduce my interaction with them but rather to make things more convenient.
There had been times when I am busy inside the house and suddenly I notice that it's dark.
"Oh s$%$, chickens" goes through my mind and I run out to lock them up.
With automatic doors, I can walk to the chicken area and do an evening check without being alarmed and running out the door.

The other scenario is being away from home.
In the past, I had to rely on a friend or pay someone to let them out in the morning, feed them and lock them up at night.
With an automatic door, that job is reduced to feeding them.
With WiFi cameras, I can remotely check their status.

 

[ForFlocksSake]

I am going to go slightly off topic but as I read through the entire thread, some people listed their reasoning for getting an automatic coop door.
I have just installed one on one of my 3 coops.
It is a test case and so far, after 3 days, I like the door.
My main reason for wanting these doors is to ensure that when the sun goes down, the chickens' house is locked.
It is not to reduce my interaction with them but rather to make things more convenient.
There had been times when I am busy inside the house and suddenly I notice that it's dark.
"Oh s$%$, chickens" goes through my mind and I run out to lock them up.
With automatic doors, I can walk to the chicken area and do an evening check without being alarmed and running out the door.

The other scenario is being away from home.
In the past, I had to rely on a friend or pay someone to let them out in the morning, feed them and lock them up at night.
With an automatic door, that job is reduced to feeding them.
With WiFi cameras, I can remotely check their status.

I have WiFi cameras too. It helps ease my mind to physically see the door is shut even though I do trust it.

I agree, apart from convenience there is a big safety aspect to it! Sometimes things happen. Sometimes are brains are occupied. Knowing it’s handled and there aren’t any “oh ” moments it’s nice peace of mind.

 

[lagrange chicks]

I like mine (homemade), I use the timer because I do not want it closing premature do to stormy weather before the girls get in for the night. Its 4.30 pm now and the girls are in the coop, door will close at 5pm.

 

[ForFlocksSake]

I like mine (homemade), I use the timer because I do not want it closing premature do to stormy weather before the girls get in for the night. Its 4.30 pm now and the girls are in the coop, door will close at 5pm.

I also keep mine on a timer because it’s against the covered run so already not as sunny right on the door. Just a slightly dark sky from rain worries me.

 

[Thas]

Ive gone back and forth about getting an automatic door for our coop. I think I may have even made a post about it a while back. We have a coop attached to a run and do not free range. The run is secure but technically something could dig under. We aren't too concerned because we are in a neighborhood, have NEVER seen a raccoon, coyote, fox or possum, never had our trash messed with, and when my husband uses his stinky fish carcass fertilizer for the garden its never tampered with. We also have a 6 foot wooden privacy fence around our entire yard and are enclosed by fences on three sides from other neighbors. we also have a large yard full of dog smells from our 4 hounds. The entire perimeter of our home has cameras and none have EVER caught an animal other than a deer and stray cat. I know there is still a risk, but for now we aren't concerned.

That being said, I have no desire to test our predator theory once the sun goes down. I go out every evening to shut the coop door (which is an extremely secure coop) and open it when the sun comes up. It's not the biggest deal in the world to do it but I wonder if Id be happier with an auto door. I know there are a bunch out there and im mostly looking at the run chicken one, but I guess my question is how many people are thrilled with their auto doors and how many regret it or hate it. I have wifi cameras inside the run so I could check to see the door is shut at night and open in the morning, but has anyone here had an incident where the auto door didn't open or close? Anyone have an incident that had them go back to a manual door?

I just bought the Chickencozy automatic door. It's a horizontal door. Small. I thought my Rooster wasn't going to fit but he did go through. Works fine and was easy to setup the time and when it should open and close.

 

[lagrange chicks]

My chickens are in a predator proof run, so if the door closes after dark I dont worry.

 

[TaylorGlade]

We installed two Run-Chicken E50 (solar powered) doors this year. One in March and one in one in August. These have worked flawless in default mode, daily since I stalled.

Support was highly responsive when I asked about options to ensure the door stayed shut if we activated our Hurricane Plan. We are able to force the door to stay closed indefinitely with a button press. And then we are able to return the system to its default configuration when we are ready to resume operations.

There are a lot of custom settings that can be programmed through the use of a phone app and the light sensor - but we found the default configuration was exactly what we wanted.

We like the first one so much we bought the second one when we installed a second coup.

We still check our chickens regularly because we do not have cameras set up yet. But we have never had them fail to open or close on schedule or found a chicken locked away from the rest of the flock.

 

[Tstraub]

I have been using a run chicken brand one since April. This past Sunday it didn’t open for the first time. The temperature was in the mid 20s and the door was frozen shut. I sprayed it with silicone lube and installed new batteries. So far no more issues for the 3 mornings since.

 

[BDutch]

I also keep mine on a timer because it’s against the covered run so already not as sunny right on the door. Just a slightly dark sky from rain worries me.

I can adjust the lumen for open and close. The door opens after the sun is up. And it closes after the sun is down. Not long before its gets dark.

I made the auto pop door between the coop with a tiny covered run and a larger run that is les safe. The chicken guard is inside the coop, so it doesn't get much light but still works fine.

When my chickens free range I like to be sure they are inside the run or the coop long before it's pop-door closing time. I give some scratch before I close the door of the run. If I don’t, chances are that a few chickens go to sleep in a tree or on top of the run near the hedge as long as there are leaves on the trees.
The chickens are always in the coop at least 15 minutes before the ‘auto-pop-door’ closes.