automatic coop door questions!

[Nay117]

Newer chick mom here (sorry for back story & long post!).. so my girls (& Tony) are about 9 weeks old now. They love their coop & run area and are doing great! Everyone goes into the coop just before sunset and I'll go out to close their coop door (maybe 8ish or so) every night & I wake up about 5-530 and open it for them. This has been such a huge learning experience for me .. 1st mistake I got a premade coop from Tractor Supply should of done more research and found this group before buying it but I'm working with what I have .. I've made their run space a lot larger (with the little carpentry skills I have) & my next project is to expand their coop and insulate it before winter......We are going away this summer (in a couple months) i have people who will be coming to collect eggs and give fresh water but no one will be there at 5am and 8pm like I normally would be to close & open the coop door. I have made everything I have done so far predator proof.. I did a galvanized mesh skirt around the entire coop/run area (buried it about a foot out, went under the wood and stapled it a foot up on the inside). I've changed locks on the doors to multiple different locks too. Our whole backyard is also fenced in. My boyfriend says to leave coop door open while we are away and he thinks I'm nuts and going overboard about predator proofing ... I am a veterinary technician and we see our fair share of chickens getting attacked so I just dont think he gets it and doesnt realize that predators will find a way. SO MY QUESTION IS ... do I risk it and leave the coop door open for few nights or do i splurge and get an automatic coop door?! Will this even work with my cheapy prefab coop door that gets a little sticky when humid or when wood shavings get caught in the door wedge? the door now slides back and forth so I have seen ones that lift it up? I havnt done much research on different types and figured I would ask you guys the experts first (especially seeing how when left to my own devices I have already made mistakes!) i think i should get one that is timer and less of a sensor with daylight bc the coop is in a shady area of the yard or what if there is a storm and it gets darker faster? is the whole door replaced with an automatic one? What if a chicken gets locked out!? What is a good quality brand you prefer that wont necessarily break the bank? Sorry if these questions sound dumb. Thank you guys so much in advance!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I feel ya with the whole prefab deal, I did the same thing then remedied my mistake about 6 months later, lol. I bought this door a few weeks back and I love it! Easy install, easy to set specific open and close times, or just let the solar eye do it for you.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LP1MYJJ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[RojoMarz]

I have an Ador. It does have a sensor and runs off lantern battery. Works very well.

I do occasionally have to clean the bottom track out, as shavings get in it and then cause the door to reverse. In a year, I've only had 1 chicken locked out. I still go out each night and make sure all are inside, so I let her in.

The automatic door would replace your existing one.

 

[Sueby]

I would be lost without my auto doors. I have one coop where the door sensor is under a ton of trees & then the coop roof & it's very dark - it still works just fine, no one gets locked out (or in). The sensor is very adjustable, but it also has just a plain old timer.

I think it's eglu that makes a door that slides sideways instead of up & down, maybe that would work for your set up without much modification.

I have not once had a door not shut or jam up because of debris in the track & I don't clean them out.

I have 2 Chickenguard doors & would buy them again if I ever needed - they work perfect in my situation. But there are quite a few others out there, probably cheaper ones too.

 

[perkolator]

I just got one of the Run-Chicken T50 doors last week, pretty much because of the same situation as you - planning vacation and I don't expect the person watching to show up twice a day. After having it for less than a week, I'd say the $180 I spent was probably one of the best investments I've made with regard to chickens. I programmed it to open at 7am and it closes at dusk, seems to work just fine.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I just got one of the Run-Chicken T50 doors last week, pretty much because of the same situation as you - planning vacation and I don't expect the person watching to show up twice a day. After having it for less than a week, I'd say the $180 I spent was probably one of the best investments I've made with regard to chickens. I programmed it to open at 7am and it closes at dusk, seems to work just fine.

Yep, easy breezy!

 

[ReelFaster]

Newer chick mom here (sorry for back story & long post!).. so my girls (& Tony) are about 9 weeks old now. They love their coop & run area and are doing great! Everyone goes into the coop just before sunset and I'll go out to close their coop door (maybe 8ish or so) every night & I wake up about 5-530 and open it for them. This has been such a huge learning experience for me .. 1st mistake I got a premade coop from Tractor Supply should of done more research and found this group before buying it but I'm working with what I have .. I've made their run space a lot larger (with the little carpentry skills I have) & my next project is to expand their coop and insulate it before winter......We are going away this summer (in a couple months) i have people who will be coming to collect eggs and give fresh water but no one will be there at 5am and 8pm like I normally would be to close & open the coop door. I have made everything I have done so far predator proof.. I did a galvanized mesh skirt around the entire coop/run area (buried it about a foot out, went under the wood and stapled it a foot up on the inside). I've changed locks on the doors to multiple different locks too. Our whole backyard is also fenced in. My boyfriend says to leave coop door open while we are away and he thinks I'm nuts and going overboard about predator proofing ... I am a veterinary technician and we see our fair share of chickens getting attacked so I just dont think he gets it and doesnt realize that predators will find a way. SO MY QUESTION IS ... do I risk it and leave the coop door open for few nights or do i splurge and get an automatic coop door?! Will this even work with my cheapy prefab coop door that gets a little sticky when humid or when wood shavings get caught in the door wedge? the door now slides back and forth so I have seen ones that lift it up? I havnt done much research on different types and figured I would ask you guys the experts first (especially seeing how when left to my own devices I have already made mistakes!) i think i should get one that is timer and less of a sensor with daylight bc the coop is in a shady area of the yard or what if there is a storm and it gets darker faster? is the whole door replaced with an automatic one? What if a chicken gets locked out!? What is a good quality brand you prefer that wont necessarily break the bank? Sorry if these questions sound dumb. Thank you guys so much in advance!

Lots of great questions there!

I'll start with your area, do you have many predators that can get into the coop?

How long are you going away for? If you don't have much of a predator threat and only going away for short time, might not be in your best interest to buy an automatic door as they can be very expensive. BUT if your tired of waking up at 5:30AM to let them out, getting one can be a real game changer. From day 1 I went with an auto locking door, my life can get pretty hectic so not having to worry about letting them out each morning is a huge relief.

I love my chickenguard auto locking door. Can be installed with a homemade door or comes with a door for little more $. It can work on a light sensor OR programmed to open/close specific times. I've had my hens locked out a few times (currently its using light sensor feature under a covered roof) however all I had to do was adjust the light or lux setting and it corrected itself and haven't had the problem since.

 

[Nay117]

first morning with my chicken run t50 automatic door ..6am look out the window at coop .. door is open, chickens are roosting and pecking in their run ... happy chickens & happy mom thanks for everyone's advice!

 

[EIEIO Funny Farm]

I got a coop kit from tractor supply too (before I knew better), but I’ve made several modifications and like it now. I’ve even installed an auto door. Here’s a before and after pic. I cut out part of the hardware cloth on the big door to install the auto door.

 

[QueenLottie]

I got a coop kit from tractor supply too (before I knew better), but I’ve made several modifications and like it now. I’ve even installed an auto door. Here’s a before and after pic. I cut out part of the hardware cloth on the big door to install the auto door.

Yours looks horizontal, what type of door did you buy for that? I'm struggling to find an affordable option for my pre-fab horizontal coop door.