Do automatic coop doors freeze?

[RojoMarz]

I am having problems with my Hamuti door is not working. It isn't frozen as it is covered but the power cord to the door from the solar panel is covered in ice and snow. Could this cause it not to work? The remote control or manual button the back of the solar panel won't operate it either. We have had bitter cold with wind chills -37.

Maybe the solar panel isn't getting enough sun or the battery that is used to store the energy is having problems. I know when we ran the heated waterer off of the solar panel, the cold cold days really stressed the single marine battery that we used to store energy.

 

[Pullet-Shut Chicken Doors]

Note that we have tested our Pullet-Shut chicken door down to -20F in Minnesota & Wisconsin with perfect performance. We haven't tested it any colder because, frankly, it hasn't gotten colder than that with customers! Well, maybe it has been colder but they're smart enough to stay in the house on those days.

 

[K0k0shka]

The best prevention against a door freezing is to install it on the inside, not on the outside of the coop, so both the track and the mechanism are inside and protected from the elements. Having an awning or wind blocks around the coop helps, too. I'm in New England, too, my auto door is inside the coop and I have wind blocks on the sides of the run, as well as overhead cover in most areas (though not all). I've had my auto door 4 winters now and it has never frozen shut.