Looking for Do-It-Yourself automatic coop door.

[Artanis]

If you want a relatively inexpensive and uncomplicated automatic coop door, use a power car antenna, a 12 volt battery or a 12 volt power converter/transformer and some pulleys. You can get a used power antenna at a junk yard or even new on the internet for about $20. The rest can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot.

I just posted a few videos of mine on youtube. Poor quality because it's from a cellphone.

Right now I just have it on a switch but plan to hook up a timer soon.

Good luck!

 

[meathook]

Quote:
That is a great idea although it reminds me a bit of a guillotine. Might be good for a meat bird coop. If you sharpened the edge of the door you could make an automatic slaughtering machine.

 

[Catstar68]

I used the Buildeazy plans for my automatic coop door and it works GREAT! I got the drapery motor on eBay for around $80 and I had a timer already. A piece of diamond plate, some thin rope and a few washers for counter weight and it was together in 20 minutes. I used 2x2 wood and cut a groove in it so the diamond plate slides in it.

 

[Dorte]

I like the simplicity of the homemade pulley systems that are described here, and it seems to straight forward that I am thinking there must be some cons to the system

Does the chickens ever get stuck under the door when it closes?

My second concern (opening the door from the outside has already been addressed nicely with the lever solution

 

[brlarson84]

That is a pretty cool system I'll have to try something like that!

 

[flyingtnh]

Thanks again, BYC, for all the learning I've been able to soak in. I ended up building a sliding auto door using an antenna motor, getting pretty much everything for about $45 (including free shipping from Amazon for some of the parts).

I'll post some pics and maybe a video when I can, but here's where I sourced my parts:

- Automatic antenna motor - $30, http://www.amazon.com/Metra-Universal-Power-Antenna-44-PW22/dp/B0002BEUYO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1314883606&sr=8-2
- Lamp timer (had one on hand)
- 12V power sources - I used aftermarket transformers made for Wii (12v, 3.7A - plenty for the motor): I found them for $4 each - Amazon now has them for $6. http://www.amazon.com/AC-Power-Adapter-Nintendo-Wii-Console/dp/B0017QFMJU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1314883743&sr=1-1
- Lexan panel from Home Depot
- Scrap wood, screws, and hardware.

One bad thing about the lexan panel was that it was so perfectly clear that the chickens bumped into it when it was closed, then wouldn't come out when it was open because they couldn't tell the difference. Some dark blue spraypaint I had on hand fixed that.

Another bad thing about Lexan is it cracks easily, and the lower edge broke when the goats went through the door, requiring me to do some fixing... I'm a bit worried about how it will hold up this winter and may weld a piece of scrap metal soon.

Only other modification I've made is the goat maze.

 

[Leroy LaRey]

Hi: Gearloose chicken door builder here. I don't use mine constantly, just for times when I'm not home in the evening. The only problem I've had with it is when I forget to pull the alarm stop on the clock after it's set, the rest works pretty smoothly. It could open doors in the morning too with a counterweight (I haven't done that), but it would need 2 clocks or you'll have to get up to reset the alarm for morning and night.

It's probably possible to make some kind of double Gearloose arrangement connected to the same door for morning and evening, but for that much hassel, a powered design might work better, it depends on how automatic it has to be. Also it's a little awkward to set, but it's definitely a step up from the bomb timer used by Captain Hooke, in real life that wouldn't have worked at all. Gearloose isn't as daunting as it looks, the trigger mechanism is from some boy scout animal trap designs, and the plans are free (so make a better one). I give it a 7 out of 10.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

We installed an Add-A-Motor in our new coop. It was inexpensive (relatively) and works as well as models several times the cost. You can see it in my virtual coop tour here:
http://eggcartonlabels.blogspot.com/2011/05/virtual-tour-de-coop.html

 

[whattheflock]

I used a discarded garage door opener controlled by a programmable timer. All stuff I scrounged. Works good. Total Cost: $0.

 

[Richard Nurac]

I just constructed my coop door opener. It operates on a timer and can only raise the door which is all I need for the present. I will later fully automate it. The electrics are relatively simple and it uses a rugged 12VDC motor which will allow me to connect it to my future solar system. Cost was modest and for the past 4 mornings, since initiation, it has worked flawlessly.

Here is a photo of the assembly before I commissioned it in the coop so you can have an idea of its appearance. I do have my own, non-commercial, website at www.nutrac.info where you can find more information.