Poor man's chicken powered automatic door

[oxfordethan]

It's been a while since I've posted. The thing I dislike the most about keeping chickens is having to go out in the morning when it's 20 degrees to let the birds out. So I came up with this Rube-Goldberg style auto door. Sorry for the vertical screen shot while videoing. Enjoy. I looked outside early this morning and the door was still shut. Got ready for work and then looked back outside and they were all free ranging. I love it when a plan comes together!

http://s67.photobucket.com/user/oxf...44-3631-000003A02B6A4929_zps98344d8d.mp4.html

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Whoa! Really ingenious. Had my husband come in and watch this as he's a fairly "crafty" kinda' guy, too. Thinking maybe he can make something similar for our pop door.

Bravo!

 

[oxfordethan]

Thanks! In the afternoon when i collect the eggs, I remove the red carabiner and clip it to the loop just inside the door frame. This allows the nesting box door to close while still keeping the coop open (so they don't roost in the nesting box before I close them in for the night). When I go out to close them in for the night I just reclip the carabiner to the coop door and set the hook.

 

[aart]

For some reason I can never view photo bucket videos and sometimes not even pics.

 

[MEMama3]

Bummer. I can't see it either :-(