Small doors located on coops.

[flowergirl60]

That's what I'm worried about. I have one chicken that likes to linger after everyone goes in for the night.

 

[latebloomer]

Quote:
could be that natural selection thing, but i'd be so upset...

 

[Bev in Nevada]

the automatic door that I will be installing (just received in mail yesterday) uses a timer. so if the sun sets at 730pm, the timer can be set for 745pm, giving everyone time to go in.

 

[juliette2009]

I have automatic doors, and love them! Yes, sometimes stragglers get left out, but not very often. My individual runs have their own doors as well, just make sure you give them enough time after sunset before having the door close.

 

[Moxiechick]

I have the Pullet-Shut chicken door, and I like it a lot. http://chickendoors.com/products-2.htm

After closing at night, it is programmed to open again about a minute later to give any stragglers a second chance. Then it closes again for the night. It opens side ways, like a regular door, which at first I wasn't sure if I would like, but it actually makes a lot of sense, as the doorway won't have any tracked wood shavings to interfere with it closing properly. It was super easy to install as well. They are very good with their customer service too.

-edited for spelling!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Some auto doors use a photo sensor to time when to open and close the door. It would work like your street lights, closing at dusk, opening at daybreak rather than timed, when chickens are already in the coop.

 

[gryeyes]

Mine uses a photo sensor, and runs off 4AA batteries. It opens at dawn and closes around dusk, about 30 minutes after all the chickens are inside. Never had a straggler out that long.

 

[latebloomer]

Quote:
do you have make and model number you can share, or is this something you built yourself?

 

[MeowCluckBark]

the pop door on my coop was swollen and won't open or close easily. Since it's on the wrong side of the coop to open to the run I built I figured I'd just take off the latch and close it all up and put in a new pop door on the other side. It seems pretty easy. doorway cut into coop, slightly larger door cut to cover the hole, some form of track for it to be held to the coop and a latch to keep it from falling on the chicks when it's open. I suppose you could just reuse the cut out from the door with some hinges too. I definitely want my girls to be able to go out on their own in case I can't open the big door for them so I will just leave it open and it will be big enough for them to get in and out but small enough to prevent a draft.

 

[mcjessen]

Quote:
do you have make and model number you can share, or is this something you built yourself?

I'd be interested in that info too.