'Which is best - Pullet-shut, Ador1 or the Fleming Outdoors - Opinions Please'

[pfields]

I've narrowed my search down to these three. I would like for it to run on electricity with a battery backup. Suggestion or recommendations welcome!

 

[Alex41]

I have the Ador1 door and have no complaints. Very well made.

Alex

 

[pfields]

That's been my first choice except for the electricity option. I was thinking of installing it inside facing outward. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Alex41]

Sounds like you've done your research. Yes it can be mounted indoors. It runs off a 6v lantern battery for over a year (i've only had mine for a few months, but the instructions claim this) so you wouldn't even need electricity for it.

 

[tcstoehr]

The Ador1 runs on a day/night sensor which is great if that's what you want. It also has manual mode for times when you need to override the automatic operation. If you prefer to use a timer then I would think the Fleming would be your choice. Although it requires an electrical outlet and the timer will lose time whenever there's a power outage. The Ador1 has some options you can program in, although it is tedious to do so, but it does work. In my case, I did not want the door to open at dawn before people were up and about because there could be raccoons in the area. Plus I like to keep them in the coup for a few hours in the morning to encourage egg-laying in there. So I used the option that delays the opening of the door for some amount of time *after* sunrise. I selected two hours but you can go up to six hours. What I do like about the Ador1 is that it is so self-contained and is extremely frugal with power so that the 6V batter you give it will easily last a year. No power outlet needed. I plan to just change the battery every summer. I'll add that to my list of once-per-year chores that I do in the summer like recharging my pressure tank and changing the oil in my lawn mower.

 

[pfields]

I've had my Ador1 about a month now, maybe longer. I have a light set on a timer to come on around 6:15 am. The door opens about 2 mins. after the light comes on and closes around 8:30-8:45 pm. When the days get shorter I'll adjust when the light comes on in the morning and also have the light come on in the evening so they get plenty of light. I don't want them out in the dark like you.

 

[tcstoehr]

After looking at the Fleming I would personally avoid it. It's a string-puller model which I would prefer to avoid. If you're OK with that then I guess it's OK although it seems overpriced for that.

The Fleming web site claims "This Heavy Duty Automatic Chicken Coop Doors is hands down the best on the market."
The Pullet-shut web site claims "Introducing the unchallenged BEST automatic chicken door on the market!"
The Ador1 web site claims "

You found the Best Automatic Chicken Coop Door available."​

The first two claims are demonstrably false. While each could make a case for being best, there's nothing "hands down" or "unchallenged" about it.