Michigan

[fifelakelooper]

'Mornin all! The big news here is that I bit the bullet and bought a AUTOMATIC chicken door!!! WOOOO...WOOOOO!!

I just love it. We recently sold DH's motorcycle and have someone today coming to look at our aluminum row boat and utility trailer. Freed up some funds for a little luxury like the door!! PLUS....a dear friend and her husband are coming to house/dog/chicken sit for almost 3 weeks in September so we can go out west on a vacation!!! Living in the sticks on a seasonal road it is difficult to get anyone here for care taking and the couple coming here were my chemistry teacher and P.E. teacher from high school! (* also my neighbors growing up). I will not worry one bit while gone with them in charge. A huge relief and God bless them for saying "sure"! when asked.

Chickwannab....your jersey chicks are so very cute!

No big storm yesterday as was predicted....just some rain. Guess that is why channel 9 has the "10 minute weather guarantee!" Good for only 10 minutes!

 

[babigyrl22]

Where do you get an automatic chicken door? How do they work? Just curious.

Just wonder if it ever closes and your chickens are still outside. My silkies sit at the entrance (they look like the two old men from the muppet show) once everyone is nestled in...that's how I know that it's time to close them in. I would hate to see the door close on their heads :: chuckle ::

 

[fifelakelooper]

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I entered the words "automatic chicken door" on the search box on this site to see what others recommended. Most liked the door from Foy's supplies web site or the Chickendoor.com web site. They were both well liked. The doors from Foy's are out of stock so went with the chickendoor.com web site. Both are about the same price. Not cheap...with tax and shipping...mine came with door and trickle charger at $245.oo.
It took about 15 minutes to cut a bigger popdoor area and screw in the new door. Then hubby put a shelf up inside the coop near the electric plug to hook up charger. So...it comes with a magnet...I used that last night to set the auto close door time for 9:25pm...by then all the hens are in the coop on their own will (which will change as daylight/dusk times change and I will reset) and this morning I went out at 6am to set the door to open auto in the morning at that time. My rooster and hens raise such a commotion early morning that it wakes hubby. I go out by 6:30am to let them out. THIS niffy device will allow me to stay in bed until 7am...or 10am whatever!!! When we are gone late at night...I don't have to fret about shutting the girls in the coop...this device will do it for me...saving me worry and a dark trip out to coop!!

 

[babigyrl22]

Quote:
I entered the words "automatic chicken door" on the search box on this site to see what others recommended. Most liked the door from Foy's supplies web site or the Chickendoor.com web site. They were both well liked. The doors from Foy's are out of stock so went with the chickendoor.com web site. Both are about the same price. Not cheap...with tax and shipping...mine came with door and trickle charger at $245.oo.
It took about 15 minutes to cut a bigger popdoor area and screw in the new door. Then hubby put a shelf up inside the coop near the electric plug to hook up charger. So...it comes with a magnet...I used that last night to set the auto close door time for 9:25pm...by then all the hens are in the coop on their own will (which will change as daylight/dusk times change and I will reset) and this morning I went out at 6am to set the door to open auto in the morning at that time. My rooster and hens raise such a commotion early morning that it wakes hubby. I go out by 6:30am to let them out. THIS niffy device will allow me to stay in bed until 7am...or 10am whatever!!! When we are gone late at night...I don't have to fret about shutting the girls in the coop...this device will do it for me...saving me worry and a dark trip out to coop!!

Thanks! I will check it out. Not cheap but I can see this being pretty kick-butt in the wintertime. Does it run on a battery or do you need to run electricity to it? I would just worry about my silly silkies who like to sit right in the door of the coop at night.

 

[chickflick]

Mom 2em All. My rabbits love dandelion leaves, bananas, watermellon, strawberries, wheat bread, apple, orange... I guess almost any fruit. I give em something for a treat to get them back in their hutch at night. During the day, they have the run of the chicken run while the chickens are free ranging. I put their hutch in the chicken run. Even when the chickens can't free range, the bunnies and chickens share the run. It's cute to see them eat treats together.
Someone planted weed seed in my vegetable garden while we were camping! It was wall to wall weeds!! So that's what I worked on yesterday. I got most of the weeds pulled. Mostly worked on getting them from around the plants and in between. Think I got bout 85% of them pulled. Sent DH out after dinner to do the rest and rake up the weeds. I did it by hand, of course, hubby got out the big guns and rottertilled. Really, there wasn't that much more to do! But it's done! Rained a little. Gotta go look and see if it rained enough for me to wait another day to water.
Carrie Lynn, glad you enjoyed Chickenstock and it's location. I took my kids there to play and now my grand kids. Loved that it's secluded from the rest of the park. My grown kids still play softball there. Someone remind me Jan 1st to reserve the pavillion again for next years chickenstock!!
Looks like anothre beautiful day! DH is taking dogs for a walk. Use to do it together, but with leg problems lately, I can't walk that long. Sure do miss it. I love walking. Enjoy your day, everyone!!

 

[Opa]

The automatic door opener that I use is the same one sold by Foy's. It's made in Germany by AXT. It is powered by 4 AA batteries and works beautifully. It can be mounted inside or out depending on your door. My door is inside and I also bought the electric eye that opens and closes based on sunrise and sunset. The only problem I ever encountered with birds not getting in before the door closed was when I had one dominate hen who would sit right at the door opening and not let others in. So for a few nights I had to check to make sure everyone got in.

I purchased mine directly from the manufacturer, it was cheaper, and found them great to deal with. http://axt-electronic.eu/us/index.p...e&id=6&phpMyAdmin=ZlXrcdoFWbDvaeSD88BUid8zIf3

 

[fifelakelooper]

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I HAD planned on getting that one with the dusk to dawn feature...I think from what I've read...both are good. (they were sold out) The advantage to the "dusk to dawn" feature is that you don't have to constantly reset. The chickendoor.com one has a solar option...but I went with the trickle charger since I have electric in my coop. My door swings shut sideways slowly...all hens sitting in doorway would have ample opportunity to get out of the way. The one you bought if the same that Foy's sells....goes up and down. (that is how my pop doors all work prior to putting in the new doors I just bought) Both these doors are metal and won't warp as wood will. I will check for several nights to make sure all are inside...but last night I waited until the last 2 stubborn, stragglers went in before setting the timer. (9:25pm)

 

[Olive Hill]

HI MICHIGANDERS! Have missed you all. I hope everyone is doing well. I seem to be caught up on PMs now, so any of you that I owed one... sorry about that. Haven't had much (any!) BYC time lately.


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I literally LOL'd at this. A couple months ago there were chickens in my garden. I have raised beds so it's difficult to chase them out because I have to go around the beds and they just run every which way. So I grabbed a stake that was sticking out of the ground and threw it thinking the chickens would run from the flying stick and I could get them to the gate faster. Well, 2 of the 3 ran from the stick. The other one just stood there! And it hit her and KNOCKED HER OUT!

She fell over and started flopping and I'm not kidding you for a very long few seconds I actually thought "OMG! DID I JUST KILL A CHICKEN WITH A STICK?!" I didn't. She's still alive and still tries to get in the garden every day, but holy moly. I don't throw sticks anymore.

 

[CricketYang]

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There was a good cracking noise when I hit him. I didn't mean to hit him so hard! When he was flopping around, I told my DH to go boil some water bc I figured that homeboy wasn't going to be getting back up again. Thankfully it only took him about five mins or so to regain consciousness and slowly limp away. He's doing fine now btw, just won't come near me, which I'm perfectly happy with. I only need him for about another year or so before I phase him out and get a new roo in the flock.

 

[babigyrl22]

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Thats how my silkies are. There is usually one girl left out pacing before they just make a run for it and just pushes her way through the silkies. Heh heh.

Thanks for the info. I will check it out!