Chicken door Thoughts

[GLyford]

Let me just chime in here that with electric running, I don't bother to close my coop doors. I got a charger rated for predators and weeds, and ran my wire low (probably too low) at about 4" above the ground ("nose height").

The only predators that have actually taken ours are red tailed hawks (injured one, broke the neck on another, plus a few scares when they have been out) so we hung deer netting over the pen, which has worked so far.

 

[smokinmad]

Dusk/Dawn timer shuts it off during the day,safe for pets/kids/dumb adults. I have about an acre of pheasant pens and used to trap,raccoons,possum ,skunks ect.,the fence is a lot more humane.Use poly weave wire and 6" stand-offs;you should have less than $100 in the whole set-up.Now your only problem will be hawks and owls.

Hawks and Owls, I got that one, it's called a Scoped 22 Magnum....I got ya on the Fence....yea I've lost them to a weasel or something, so a 3 strand wire fence, 6" high, around the whole yard would work.

LOL...love your idea also Industrial.....need some sort of Turret Mounted Gun that would shoot anything that didn't have a Chip....lmao....honest Julie, I don't know WHAT Happened to your CAT....lol

 

[mike69440]

Check out YouTube. A lot of farmer / Engineers!

 

[Fallon]

I prototyped an automated chicken coop door & pile of sensors (distance to measure food & water height, temp & humidity, etc). Then I decided I didn't have the coding skills to properly secure an Internet connected device. I ended up buying the wife a CoopBoss to integrate with my existing SmartThings deployment. CoopBoss

I'd planned on a linear actuator even before the CoopBoss. They are $60-70 for the cheap ones. The cheap ones are rated to 100-200lbs, plenty to keep critters out. They are slow, but where is the rush in this application. Gives the chickens time to get out of the way anyway. I set mine up as a reverse guillotine after getting annoyed figuring out geometry for a drawbridge style.

Need to go photograph my setup. Apparently I don't have any.

 

[smokinmad]

WOW....they sure are proud of the COOPBOSS...$540. Your right tho.....it is a nice unit...depending on how many chickens you raise, it wouldn't take to many "Kills" to pay for it tho. a young laying hen around here sells for $10.

 

[Sysop]

Stick with the radio antenna motor, but mount your door to a pair of drawer slides on top and bottom and let the door slide open and closed sideways. A good set of drawer slides will hold up to any varmint pushing on it and not cause much resistance on the antenna motor...

Another solution is to put your chicken door up off the ground with a small chicken ladder up to it on the inside and outside. Most varmints are not going to walk up a plank 2' off the ground to push on the door (though a few will curiously climb it and check it out).

Additionally, you can leave the ramp on the outside loose so anything standing on it pushing will knock it down. That won't stop your chickens from exiting the following morning.

 

[coralhead]

You can probably rig something from a window motor, but if you want dead simple/move on to something else, just buy one of these:

Amazon.com: Add-A-Motor Chicken Coop Automatic Motor (D2): Camera & Photo

Comes with built in stops, field adjustable, and a 'wall wart' to change your 120v to the 12v the motor uses. Add a timer and build your door. I've never had a critter raise the plywood doors I use on my two coops, so I think that isn't an issue.

This is what I used on my wifes two coops. They are actually drapery motors. I find that using a counterweight helps in opening and closing. 8 years plus and still no problems. They are on standard programmable timers.

 

[skylarkguy]

I had an ad a motor and it worked well until it catastrophically failed. I replace it with one of these which has been working great. Automatic Chicken Coop Door Opener ~ With($175) or Without Lights

 

[TomSeller]

Put RFID tags on the chickens to permit entry and if movement is detected without a tag, something nasty.

Just remember to wear a tag yourself when you go out to check on them.

 

[smokinmad]

Just remember to wear a tag yourself when you go out to check on them.

LOL...Yea especially if I find that Turret Mounted Gun for Varmints.....