MANUAL Chicken Coop Door

[Krugerrand]

I used a plastic cutting board and built a track out of PVC molding I had on hand. My door is almost always open the their secure run.

 

[CluckyMcCluckington]

I used a plastic cutting board and built a track out of PVC molding I had on hand. My door is almost always open the their secure run.

Thank you. I am getting ready to make it and this is a great idea.

 

[Sally PB]

This is my manual door. Sorry, it's dark out, and these are by headlamp.

It's slid up and down, and the long handle has an eyebolt at the top. It hangs off a screw, so it can't fall down.

When it's down, I shove a wedge of wood (chunk of 2x4) into the space between the door and the wall. A raccoon or other predator would have to remove that to be able to lift the door.

The scratches on the door are NOT from a predator.

 

[CluckyMcCluckington]

Here is what I finally came up with. I cut a hole in the chicken wire and framed up a sliding wooden door.

 

[Mouthpear]

Here is what I finally came up with. I cut a hole in the chicken wire and framed up a sliding wooden door. View attachment 3712279View attachment 3712280View attachment 3712281

I was Under the impression that you wanted a Powered Manually Operated door. LOL

Was gonna suggest a Linear Actuator and a window witch. Have diagrams and everything. LOL. Fast easy and Not too bad, cost wise.

 

[CluckyMcCluckington]

I was Under the impression that you wanted a Powered Manually Operated door. LOL

Was gonna suggest a Linear Actuator and a window witch. Have diagrams and everything. LOL. Fast easy and Not too bad, cost wise.

No, manual as in by hand. But I will probably be adding a powered door to the outside of the new coop. Thanks so much for the links! And that would be cool if you shared diagrams. Probably others will like that design as well.

 

[Mouthpear]

No, manual as in by hand.

Saw that. NIce work.

Thanks so much for the links!

You're Welcome!

And that would be cool if you shared diagrams. Probably others will like that design as well.

Yes I have MANY diagrams and I share them all the time. Diagrams from the very simple 2 Timer (Simplest way to do) to "complex" ones with anti crush safety feature. I even have diagrams with microcontrollers.

However I do not, and will not, post them here anymore. I upload then to Google drive now. I link to the them.

I can update the diagrams (color changes, mistakes, annotations, ect..) on my computer and upload them to the same file. The link does not change. If I upload here I cannot change it.

So if a mistake was made and I accidently place a wire in the wrong terminal, and people try to follow the diagram, they might be thinking "This guy doesn't know what he is doing, it doesn't work.!" Or worse something fries. I would feel bad, and I don't want them to have wasted money, time and effort.

There is also a feature on Google drive that lets you ask questions or comment directly on the diagram. So if someone needs to know what the doohickey next to the thingamajig is, all they have to do is make a comment box around the doohickey and ask.

On that note I am going to say that I have ALL my diagrams restricted. People will have to request access. I had them all open and allowed all to comment until someone decided to act a fool. So now All I ask is, when people request access, that they leave a small note saying where they were trying to access the file from. AKA what website/forum/post and maybe a link to it. Just in case I had an update that could not be uploaded as the same file. Or maybe even give them access to the entire folder.

I have other reasons too.

Here is the simplest way to use a single 5 pin window switch for a manual powered door. Lots of people use a DPDT switch but this is even more simple.

If you want to operate from two locations (in coop and in house), for those rainy/cold/snowy days or dark nights you don't feel like going out or you are already in your jammys, use 2 bosch style fused relays with harness (makes wiring so much more simple) and two SPDT Momentary Switches. Video of Timers being used. The two timers are basically operate as 1 SPDT switch. If you or anyone else would like a demo/diagram, of two switches, I can do that.


Sorry for all that LOL. I am sure it wasn't expected.

Last you can do this with a 4CH smart switch MHCOZY or SONOFF. You don't need to use the smart part. The reason I mention them is because they are both RF remote capable. Keep remote in house and use the manual operation buttons that the switches come with. If you ever want to go with alexa or google, to open and close according to sunrise and sunset you can do that. I say this on is in the coop, it you need on for the coop itself you can add a second Linear Actuator. Two doors one controller. Video of MHCOZY being used with remote and manual buttons.

 

[CluckyMcCluckington]

Saw that. NIce work.



You're Welcome!



Yes I have MANY diagrams and I share them all the time. Diagrams from the very simple 2 Timer (Simplest way to do) to "complex" ones with anti crush safety feature. I even have diagrams with microcontrollers.

However I do not, and will not, post them here anymore. I upload then to Google drive now. I link to the them.

I can update the diagrams (color changes, mistakes, annotations, ect..) on my computer and upload them to the same file. The link does not change. If I upload here I cannot change it.

So if a mistake was made and I accidently place a wire in the wrong terminal, and people try to follow the diagram, they might be thinking "This guy doesn't know what he is doing, it doesn't work.!" Or worse something fries. I would feel bad, and I don't want them to have wasted money, time and effort.

There is also a feature on Google drive that lets you ask questions or comment directly on the diagram. So if someone needs to know what the doohickey next to the thingamajig is, all they have to do is make a comment box around the doohickey and ask.

On that note I am going to say that I have ALL my diagrams restricted. People will have to request access. I had them all open and allowed all to comment until someone decided to act a fool. So now All I ask is, when people request access, that they leave a small note saying where they were trying to access the file from. AKA what website/forum/post and maybe a link to it. Just in case I had an update that could not be uploaded as the same file. Or maybe even give them access to the entire folder.

I have other reasons too.

Here is the simplest way to use a single 5 pin window switch for a manual powered door. Lots of people use a DPDT switch but this is even more simple.

If you want to operate from two locations (in coop and in house), for those rainy/cold/snowy days or dark nights you don't feel like going out or you are already in your jammys, use 2 bosch style fused relays with harness (makes wiring so much more simple) and two SPDT Momentary Switches. Video of Timers being used. The two timers are basically operate as 1 SPDT switch. If you or anyone else would like a demo/diagram, of two switches, I can do that.


Sorry for all that LOL. I am sure it wasn't expected.

Last you can do this with a 4CH smart switch MHCOZY or SONOFF. You don't need to use the smart part. The reason I mention them is because they are both RF remote capable. Keep remote in house and use the manual operation buttons that the switches come with. If you ever want to go with alexa or google, to open and close according to sunrise and sunset you can do that. I say this on is in the coop, it you need on for the coop itself you can add a second Linear Actuator. Two doors one controller. Video of MHCOZY being used with remote and manual buttons.

Thank you. I would like access. I totally understand your reasoning. And sorry someone acted the fool. That MHCOZY video is really neat!

 

[Mouthpear]

I would like access.

Link for access here.

Here is the simplest way to use a single 5 pin window switch for a manual powered door.

Working on a better MHCOZY video. Coming soon. A bit under the weather right now, so it is delayed.