Raspberry coop

[veedabowlu]

Hello

I'm trying to set up a second chicken coop... have been messing with raspberry pi's a little lately... first started at just a retro game machine...(retropi)3B+...set up a second pi, zero as a network ad blocker... works ok, but I definitely like tinkering with pi (novice here)

OK, back to the coop... I was thinking about using another pi zero (WH) this time as soldering the header sucks... plan to control the pi over wifi via SSH......anyway, little hard to get power to the coop, so I was thinking of
1) small battery (night)/solar power (day)
2) coop door, I built a sliding door need suggestions to open door. I was thinking either a motor/cable/string setup to run motor one way opening door... run motor other direction close door, OR a gear screw like on a small cnc machine...same thing, one way open, other way close...
3) RPi cam, hopefully 2, one in run one on coop
4) speakers, they say playing music to the girls produces more eggs... worth a try.

A) I was thinking of needing this DC to DC regulator, and maybe this solar panel.. still need to figure out a battery.
B) still figuring out door... looking for your input
C) have 1 RPi knock off camera...I will have to get different video cable if I use it with a pi zero... trying to figure out how to run second camera from same pi... suggestions/possible?
D) I was thinking along the lines of these options... or even better this as it includes the pi zero... guess I will have to solder another header, if I go this route...

I'm completely open to your suggestions.... I think the pi zero would suffice, cost, etc... but again, I'm open to your suggestions/opinions.

 

[veedabowlu]

I repurposed an "Igloo" doghouse for the coop...the coop stand is pallet planks on pallet built 2 x 4 frame... the run frame was a riding lawn mower crate I got for free... All in so far I have about $100 into it. Pre RPi of course..

Space above the run is going to be a garden for chicken food...

Shower liner to waterproof the garden floor/run roof

And the door I want to control via RPi

The PVC pipe is the garden drain... so when watering "garden" chicks stay dry..the pipe drains outside of the run. (pictures were before I closed the space around the door)

and the Girls enjoying the run when then they decided to "strike a pose"

 

[One Lucky Momma]

Wow.

for what it’s worth, and requiring absolutely no technical expertise, you might consider reinforcing the chicken wire on the run with some half or quarter inch hardware cloth. And running beyond the run like a skirt to deter diggers. The chicken wire alone might do a good job of keeping the chickens in but won’t keep any predators out.

BTW, it’s very cute

 

[veedabowlu]

I cut out a door, opposite the sliding door...

built small aluminum door "frame" inside the cut out making the cut out "hole" smaller...since it is a round roof and water runs down...a weatherstrip gasket sits inside on the door "frame" keeping the water/rain running down inside door.

the bottom of the door on the outside has an aluminum strip to 1) keep door curved 2) strengthen door... on the inside of the door are aluminum guides (finger like) to aid in closing the door (You can also see the roof "vent" cut out in this picture)

(Side note the oscillating/multi tool, on the ground IS the greatest thing since sliced bread)

 

[jthornton]

I use a POE switch that you plug into the wall... then plug my POE cameras into that and view them in a browser. You can run a CAT5/6 cable 300' from the switch. Some of my cameras the CAT6 cable is just laying in the woods...

The POE switch is for my cameras which are viewed on my LAN and have nothing to do with the Rpi except for the Rpi is connected to the LAN via the switch. I have 120vac in my coop.

That link is not to a study just someone's blog trying to make money from you purchasing products that they link.

Peteducate.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Pet Educate is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.

Without a citation to the actual study they don't have any creditably.

I thought @Tsheaby did an excellent job explaining how to build a chicken door...

I don't use my phone or cloud apps for anything like that so I'm not much help with that.

JT

 

[Mouthpear]

If using a different RPi that does have POE on board, i can do that... but will POE alone have enough power to run the door motor or am still looking at a battery, etc...

First off, you need to test your system at Full Operation and at Normal Operation. You need to know how many Amps/Watts you will be drawing. There are many videos on youtube.

POE operation greatly depends on How and what equipment you are using. POE just means Power Over Ethernet CABLE. So to answer your question, "will POE alone have enough power to run the door motor": That depends on how and what you plan to use.

If you use your computer Ethernet Module and have a seperate Power sources that will support that motor, then you send receive data and power through cat5, then yes it can work.

If you use a dedicated Switch managed or unmanaged with POE capabilities. Then yes, if the Switch has the rated power output. Some are only rated at around 30W per port and will only support small pan/tilt and bullet cameras, while other more expensive switches are 60W per port and can support larger pan/tilt cameras.

This is the one I would and will be putting in my next coop, when I get around to building it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075FZQX1...olid=34WRH0Z505BAV&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

If you don't have AC power run to your coop the I suggest that you have a battery setup. If you will be running a RPi, Switch and cameras then you will need at least two good quality batteries and a charger to maintain. Really, having cameras run from the coop is an expensive undertaking if you want good quality video and capabilities.

Right now, in the morning, the girls door is being opened by a string on the door, and at the end of the day, door closed by an opposite string...but when at my job, I want to be able to pull out my phone, and check on them (cameras) remotely...

If you want to automate the door. By looking at the pictures you provided, it looks like you could do what his guy did. I like how he did it. His is done with a gear box and 3D printed stuff but you can do the same with a car power window motor (already has the gearbox and spool) and cables. If you need help with the wiring just post the pics of the parts you have or links to what you might buy and I will get a diagram together.

You can control it with one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CMD3J1...colid=1WK8MTJGC8EY1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1

Yes I did look at that post... I did miss where the muffler bearing went, and where the flux capacitor was hooked up.... @Mouthpear must be an electrical engineer...which I AM NOT...

"I did miss where the muffler bearing went, and where the flux capacitator was hooked up..." I am going to take this as a friendly jab rather than a demeaning mocking. It could go either way. In any case I try and give as much information but try to keep the TASK itself as simple and economical as possible.

must be an electrical engineer...which I AM NOT...

I'm not either. LOL
In the army my MOS was 31U Signal Systems Support Specialists.
I have degrees in computer networking.
But I work as a carpenter foreman for a large general contractor when they have projects here.
In the meantime I weld and work for a buddy of mine as a welder's helper.
So all this may sound weird but when I tell you I am a medically retired disabled Veteran it might make more sense.

 

[veedabowlu]

This is totally off topic, but what is that gorgeous potted plant there??!

The purple one? That is my wife's doing...tradescantia pallida AKA "purple secretia, purple-heart, and purple queen"

 

[veedabowlu]

The hardest part was building the Cupula from scratch, using recycled privacy fence boards... It serves its function well venting the coop as it covers a large hole cut in dome (hot air rises)

Lots of head scratching going on during the build...

 

[jthornton]

Chicken music..." Laying hens who are exposed to music lay comparatively more eggs than their non-music listening counterparts"
There are more studies out there supporting it...

Following that link then the next link in the blog did not lead to a scientific study of chickens laying more eggs because they listened to music... but maybe I just missed the real link to the study I ended up at an article talking about a research grant given to someone or another.

Mind don't seem to mind the music and I enjoy it so that's good enough for me.

I use a POE switch that you plug into the wall... then plug my POE cameras into that and view them in a browser. You can run a CAT5/6 cable 300' from the switch. Some of my cameras the CAT6 cable is just laying in the woods...

The control link is for some cloud service not controlling the Rpi over SSH.

Here is some information (from me) on setting up a Rpi, I prefer the lite OS myself but YYMZ. Once the Rpi is setup properly you can open a terminal in another Linux PC on the same LAN and SSH into the Rpi. Then you can run a command line program to open or close the door. You can't run a GUI over SSH.

Did you check out this post on a door?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-diy-automatic-chicken-door.1295391/

JT

 

[RainbowHen]

How creative! You've done a great job!