Chicken door Thoughts

[smokinmad]

Have seen plans for Automatic door openers using a retracting car radio antennae. I'm thinking a Coon or Opossum could pry under the door and bend that antennae

My thot is using a 12v electric window track.

What I need is someone GOOD with Electronics/Electricals......we know the window motor reverses, so HOW would i set it up so that at 6 am the door opens and then reverses and closes at 8 pm?
I have 120 volt in the house, so a 12v battery with a trickle charger would work for the motor. BUT how would I set up a TIMER on the 12v motor to know when to reverse to open and close...

And By The Way....I use my TRACTOR to clean out the Chicken House......lol....

This be a good one for you BOGGEN.....I know you'd do everything but build it....but wait, you Do live in Ill Noise...lol...I'm just east of Champaign....

Thanks for your thoughts

Smokin'

 

[nybirdman]

You would be better served to put an E-fence around your pen,use a dusk/dawn timer.Works fine for my purposes.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

They make automatic doors with a light sensor, there $300 and a few are gear driven.

I just leave my coop open 24/7, thanks to live traps, I don't have a varmint issue

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Automatic Chicken Coop Doors by Adorstore

 

[TnAndy]

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.

 

[sal64]

i bought two motor like that 8 years ago and they still work, put on a 110 digital timer i bought at lowes, i built my own dore with a piece of plexy glass witch slides up and down in a grove then i put a small piece of wood in front of bottom of dore so coon cont pry open dore.

 

[smokinmad]

You would be better served to put an E-fence around your pen,use a dusk/dawn timer.Works fine for my purposes.

Yea...I'm thinkin that might keep the Grandkids out of the chicken yard also......I like.....

Buying one Would be easier....but no way they should cost that much....Demand for Product....

Thanks Guys...

Smokin'

 

[nybirdman]

Yea...I'm thinkin that might keep the Grandkids out of the chicken yard also......I like.....

Buying one Would be easier....but no way they should cost that much....Demand for Product....

Thanks Guys...

Smokin'

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.

 

[Industrial Toys]

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

 

[EddieWalker]

Interesting. I never thought of something like that. I have two coops. One is inside my fenced area for my horses and goats. Over time, we've decided just to leave the door open in there. Most of the chickens in that area sleep inside the coop, but maybe a dozen of them sleep inside the goat area. Owls are our only concern and we've lost a couple over the last year to them. But no coyotes or racoons get past the hot wire. Before the hot wire, we lost dozens of birds!!!

Our other pen is behind the garage and it takes less then a minute to walk out and shut the door at night when they are all asleep. Same thing with opening it in the morning when we get up.