My DIY automatic chicken POP door opener/closer

[aart]

Would probably depend on the pump and the ambient temperature...... probably not, but it's something I would want to avoid.

But why run the pump for 15-30 minutes if you can set your digital timer to run at 60 seconds if 40 seconds is all you need?
Oh, never mind...the 15-30 minutes was for the non-digital timer.

I was thinking a smaller pump might work better, depending on the physical size of the water weight needed, but smaller hoses on a smaller pump might kink and shut down the whole thing...sometimes I think too much

 

[gforce4h]

This is a great idea. I'll call you professor from Gilligan's Island. Its an ideal project for our 4H youth. Our kids have a pullet project and will be raising chickens this year. We're in SC.

 

[rfeyer]

I would have to agree with that. Although VERY green at chickens, I had a long History of reef keeping. The pumps do not run dry. The larger more powerful ones will die due to overheating if the load is low, but the smaller as OP used work forever this way. In one of my projects I actually used shut off triggers to electricity once the tank reached a certain level. Worked pretty well, but sometimes fuzzy.

I LOVE this idea and will try it. Is there any way we could get details. Pictures? We are in We also live NE NY around exit 27.

 

[shgreen1]

I love the idea of an automatic door opener/closer, but I have two concerns. The first is what would happen if a chicken gets caught in the door as it is closing? I would hate to come out in the morning and find a chicken foot sticking out, lol. Second is what is there to prevent a predator from simply lifting up the door? We have some fairly cleaver racoons who often easily defeat my efforts to keep them out of our garbage cans. Am I over thinking this? Has anyone actually had any of these problems?

 

[NYcue]

rfeyer... I agree. I'm not very concerned about the pumps as that I use a digital timer and each pump is used once a day for 1 minute. The container that is being drained, doesn't get completely empty within that 1 minute so the pumps never run dry. I'd be happy to put up more pictures, but what do you think is missing or would like to see?


Shgreen1... The door opens and closes as fast as the containers move ups and down. Which isn't very fast. My chickens actually play "chicken" with the pop door! And the weight of the door isn't enough to harm them. With regards to locking... I didn't have a need to do so. But if I did... instead of using the fishing string to lift the door... I would have it first lift a inside locking latch.

 

[rfeyer]

NYCue,

I would be interested in the pulley system internally - in the box, a wheel is turned left and right by the water containers. Internally, what is your transfer mechanism toward the door?
That would help me as I would love to copy your invention.

Rainer

 

[NYcue]

"what is your transfer mechanism toward the door?"... wow... that sounds sophisticated. You might be disappointed!

My original plan was to anchor the fishing line to the container on the right. But the most annoying issue of this setup was tightening the lids of the container and not twisting the pump-hoses. So... to make my life easier and not deal with the lids... I anchored the fishing line to the clothes line rope just above the right container lid. In the pic below, even with glare you can see the clamp I have on the white rope. The fishing line is clamped on as well. When the containers go up and down... the white rope does as well. The transfer mechanism is the white rope. You could put a loop on the lid top and attach the fishing-line on a container directly... but the white clothe line rope works just as good. Let me know if that doesn't answer your question.

 

[rfeyer]

Thank you soo much! Very helpful,

Rainer

 

[MMSculpture]

This is awesome! I'm just getting started and plan on building the garden coop. I had the same thought, open the whole wall for ease of cleaning. I thought I might add locking hinges of some kind - like on a car hood, but this is very fun!

How do you like the coop overall?

 

[NYcue]

Overall... I'm very happy with the Garden Coop.

Why would you want a locking hinge on the inside wall? The Garden coop run is protected by the Run door so it's not necessary to lock the Coop house wall. Though car hinges does make it simple and nice. I have several inches long 2x4's I keep inside the house. When I open the hinge door... I place both 2x4's in the corner to holdup the door. It's a heavy door so you want to make sure it doesn't hit you in the head! Also... I use sand in my coop house but wood chips and leaves in the run. If you use sand in the coop house... be careful opening that coop-house side door... some sand is going to fall out and fall in your hair if you are under it. But sand is my prefer choice for the house.

If I had to build that coop again... I wouldn't have followed the plan to staple the hardware cloth on the top after all the walls are setup. That was very hard, very difficult and very tedious. IMHO, you should create a frame for the top with the hardware cloth already attached. It will cost an extra couple of 4x2's.... but it will save you a good deal of time and headaches!!!! BELIEVE ME! Let me know if you got a question about that... Good luck!