Looking for DIY automatic chicken-door design.

[rotagen]

OK , we clone genes (I used to at least)...we put a man on the moon (or not)... but I haven't found an automatic treadle style chicken door design in my web searches... something based on the weight of the chicken, like that fantastic treadle-feeder plan I found on byc (sorry, don't have the link handy). BTW...the commercial treadle feeders are overpriced, and nowhere near as good as the wooden one you can make yourself...the birds are way scared of the moving metal...they're tougher to adjust the sensitivity, etc etc , just my opinion.

I made the treadle feeder and it worked out great, but I'd still like to give my birds a flock block from time to time without locking them in their run...and without a million blackbirds eating the entire block in days...Hitchcock would be Proud !

Does anyone know of plans? Has anyone tried it? I bought a see-thru hanging plastic flaps type cat door but the hens are scared of it, initially at least, and I dought it would deter birds for long. Thanks !

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Hmm. A treadle door. I’ll have to think about that one. You could probably make one with the same mechanism used for the feeder.

 

[rotagen]

Initially I was thinking the same thing, but I can't wrap my head around the fact that the door has to also feel their weight when they're right underneath it, and it has to be symmetrical so they can go both ways. Of course I would also have a simple lock on the door for nighttime.

My background is Microbiology, but my engineer roommates could figure it out.

Now I'm thinking some kind of pulley/counterweight system is the way to go...sorta the opposite of what they did in this video below ,which is totally amazing. And funny. Feathers-a-Flying ! Check it out.

I need to set it up so the chicken weight opens the door, not close it, hopefully someone more talented mechanically can post a drawing of a mechanism that may work?

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Initially I was thinking the same thing, but I can't wrap my head around the fact that the door has to also feel their weight when they're right underneath it, and it has to be symmetrical so they can go both ways. Of course I would also have a simple lock on the door for nighttime.

My background is Microbiology, but my engineer roommates could figure it out.

Now I'm thinking some kind of pulley/counterweight system is the way to go...sorta the opposite of what they did in this video below ,which is totally amazing. And funny. Feathers-a-Flying ! Check it out.

I need to set it up so the chicken weight opens the door, not close it, hopefully someone more talented mechanically can post a drawing of a mechanism that may work?

I am not mechanically gifted so maybe having someone who can at least screw in a lightbulb would be able to help more.

 

[rotagen]

Hmmm, I just thought of something (that doesn't mean you are dismissed from watching that video above)... How about a simple pulley system and a moveable (descending) platform they must jump on (that's the bit I can't figure out in my head how to do, to keep it flat and stable as it moves)..and a vertical sliding door on those little rollers you can buy at hardware for sliding shelves. Possibly I could just use the weight of the door to re-close it as they move through. Shoot if it works I should patent the darn thing, but any handy person could make their own.

 

[Mouthpear]

Initially I was thinking the same thing, but I can't wrap my head around the fact that the door has to also feel their weight when they're right underneath it, and it has to be symmetrical so they can go both ways. Of course I would also have a simple lock on the door for nighttime.

My background is Microbiology, but my engineer roommates could figure it out.

Now I'm thinking some kind of pulley/counterweight system is the way to go...sorta the opposite of what they did in this video below ,which is totally amazing. And funny. Feathers-a-Flying ! Check it out.

I need to set it up so the chicken weight opens the door, not close it, hopefully someone more talented mechanically can post a drawing of a mechanism that may work?

LMAO "I need to set it up so the chicken weight opens the door, not close it, hopefully someone more talented mechanically can post a drawing of a mechanism that may work?"

Just put the rope/string on the other end of the bar.

Either way I would never recommend this as the permanent solution to a chicken door. In the video (not sure if it is you) they show that the birds were still inside. Could that be because the ones that need to get off, so the door would open, didn't see a reason to since the door was still closed. That right there is a huge problem. It might happen that the birds decide NOT to even roost on that bar that night. The whole flock will be in danger. Temporary until you can set up a solar panel and astronomical timer deal is ok but to have this as the final thing then, I would say, don't.

Anyway this is an old post yet for all those who want to do this, think good and hard of all the things that could go wrong.

What did you end up doing? Update?