Where should I put my chicken guard unit.

[daxigait]

Basically, I built my coop so that it faces the South side of my barn with the roof running up to the barn leaving a covered 42" area that runs the length of the coop and beyond the coop to the east. Now the human door is just over a foot in and is 36" (actually a stormdoor) and the pop door is just a few inches past the door. There is a metal door with hardware cloth above and down the coop side between the human and poop door so I can go in the coop without going in the run and vice versa. Now should I place the unit inside the coop on the wall by the door frame facing a 61x32" window so it gets the west facing light and some even from the door or try to put it on the outside in the covered area? If it can go on the inside I won't have to build a new door slide since I put a sliding frame on the inside for my plexiglass door and a wood manual swinging door that I shut from the outside as s second line if defense when I get home and open when I leave for work between 4:30&5 A.M. I will try to get a photo of the spot inside the covered area in the daylight as it was not done when I took photos. Here is the west window it would be inside near where the edge of the door frame you can see though the window in this shot.

 

[aart]

Doesn't anyone use paragraphs anymore...is it a texting thing?
Maybe I'm just old, but it makes things very hard to read and using paragraphs can help you form your thoughts and questions into more clear requests. ...SHM..sorry minirant.

Yes, a pic is worth a thousand words.
But what is a 'chicken guard unit'?

 

[daxigait]

Sorry @aart. I forget using my phone. I will try to remember.
The chicken guard is an automatic pop door opener. The one I bought can be used with a set time or allowed to do it automatic through a photo sensor. I will go back out and take photos of the spots as soon as it is light.

 

[aart]

Oh, I'd put the autodoor where your pop door is now.
But the sensor might not work well there... I'm thinking that is your concern?
Light sensors can be tricky, but if you have a timer option just put the autodoor where your pop door is now and use the timer option.

 

[daxigait]

It will be a lot easier to do that. I really don't think it will get much of a light difference facing the big window as it would over four feet back in the enclosed area. I will still go out in a few minutes and take pictures. I could just try the light sensing setting on a weekend when I could see what it does.
I think it will be dusty inside, but it won't be exposed to all the weather if it is inside.

 

[aart]

It will be a lot easier to do that. I really don't think it will get much of a light difference facing the big window as it would over four feet back in the enclosed area. I will still go out in a few minutes and take pictures. I could just try the light sensing setting on a weekend when I could see what it does.
I think it will be dusty inside, but it won't be exposed to all the weather if it is inside.

Easier to install maybe, but using timer will take regular adjustment maintenance.
But I'd be more confident in it working when it needs to in the long run as the lighting can change on cloudy/sunny days.....leaf cover or not....really depends on the site.
I've read a ton of stories of them not working and leaving birds exposed with open poop door, but then I manually operate my pop doors and am usually here, but still forget sometimes.

 

[daxigait]

 

[daxigait]

the first photo is the outside and the wood that can be seen through the hardware cloth is the secondary door for the poop hole. The second is the inside taken at an angle to show it all. Do you think it will be OK on the inside?

 

[Macis Papa]

I would put it on the inside but I wouldn't trust the photo cell. I wouldn't want the door closing every time it stormed.

 

[aart]

Definitely install on the inside and use the timer.
You could build a hinged cover, maybe out of something see thru, to protect the unit from dust inside the coop.