I haven't had any issues with the door not opening on cloudy days and we've had quite a few since I installed it. We actually had over a week of solid rain and clouds and it opened and closed as it should.
Thank you all for your replies! My new coop was finished in July and I ended up getting a Ladies First door. I love it and has worked like a charm so far. It does take a bit more vertical space because it has a larger opening but that wasn't an issue for me. It comes with the solar option...
Here's a follow-up to my "chicken door choice." I ended up going with the Ladies First door. Install was super easy. As is true for most doors, you just need to get it level so it closes properly. The closing of the door is just what I'd hoped for; slow closure that reopens (to about 3...
I was looking at Ladies First. In fact, the maker of the plans for the coup I'm building use Ladies First on their coop / plans. Thanks for your input.
My new run will have hardware cloth buried in the ground as well. Maybe I'm just being over cautious. I just want to do all I can to keep the ladies safe. They're good at going to bed ( :)). The other part of my equation is that I'm in CT and winter lows can get down to 0; so warmth is a...
There's one I hadn't thought of; animals being smart enough to push the button to open the door. They are relentless. I guess once they learn the trick ---
I’m looking seriously at this one. I called and spoke to Ron because I’m not seeing much info about how hard the door comes down. Have you ever had a bird stuck in it and/ or hurt?
I was looking at these actually and spoke to Rod. Even from what he said it sounded like one way or the other the door was going to close. :/. If you have your hand in it when its closing does it hurt when it hits your hand?
Wow! That sounds nuts! I agree with what you say about them being there even though I don’t see them. And its for this very reason that mine don’t free range. The vast majority of the time they’re in a enclosed, covered run. Only when I’m out supervising are they in an additional run...
I'm having a new coop built for my ladies and was thinking of an automatic door. But, I'm seeing mixed reviews from doors made of plastic, to doors made with metal; doors that close on items they hit, to the point of a review that one decapitated a bird; doors with nice sensitive stops that...