Homesteaders have been using old school chicken coop doors for years and years. However, there is now a new option on the market for modern pioneers and homesteaders: the automatic chicken door. After investing in an automatic chicken coop door for my first chicken coop, I knew when I built the second chicken coop that I was definitely going to install an automatic chicken door in that coop too! Automatic chicken coop doors are a very useful and functional tool to install in the homestead chicken coop. These 5 reasons to get an automatic chicken door highlight the main benefits of installing an automatic door in your chicken coop!
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What is an Automatic Door?
An automatic chicken coop door is a door you can install in your coop that allows the chickens access to and from the chicken coop. It can be programmed to open and close at specific times or set to a dawn and dusk open/close system. An automatic chicken door would replace the chicken door that you have to open and close every day to allow the chickens to exit their coop after roosting for the night.
Now that automatic chicken doors are becoming more popular, there are various different styles that you can choose from. The style you choose will depend on the layout and design of your chicken coop. Some automatic doors have a door that swings open horizontally, much like a traditional door. Other styles have a door that slides up vertically to open. Either style is equally functional and which one you choose will depend on the how your chicken coop is designed.
Yes, automatic chicken coop doors will require a little bit of an investment. However, if you choose a quality automatic chicken coop door, the door will last you for many years and probably for the entire life of the chicken coop. It is an investment well worth making if you ask me. The following five reasons highlight just a few of the benefits of installing an automatic chicken coop door in your homestead coop!
Note:
As with any purchase, you can buy cheep options or more expensive options. When it comes to the functionality and usefulness of an automatic chicken coop door, you will want to make sure you are investing in a high quality door. The following benefits of an automatic chicken coop door will only apply if you invest in a quality product. Look at reviews and brand guarantees when choosing an automatic chicken coop door to buy.
#1. Predator Proof
Automatic chicken coop doors enhance how predator proof your chicken coop is against invaders looking for a chicken snack. Having a predator proof chicken coop is essential to the health and safety of your flock. A quality automatic chicken coop door should be designed to be completely predator proof.
One way that automatic chicken coop doors are predator proof is the fact that they don’t have a latch. With traditional chicken coop doors that have a latch, some predators can easily figure out how to open a latch and enter the coop. With most automatic chicken coop doors, they are nearly impossible for predators to pry open. Since they are usually made out of quality material, it would also be nearly impossible for a predator to tear apart or chew through an automatic chicken coop door.
Automatic chicken coop doors also securely tightly. There should be no gaps, holes, or cracks for predators to sneak through. This eliminates even the smallest predators from becoming a hazard. (as long as the rest of your chicken coop is predator proof as well)
Lastly, automatic chicken coop doors help prevent predator issues by having a set open and close time. As long as your flock is coop trained, they will be safely tucked into their coop at the appropriate time every day. You don’t have to worry about the door being open too late in the night and allowing active dusk predators to enjoy an evening snack.
#2. Travel Friendly
An automatic chicken coop door also makes your chicken coop more self-sufficient. By having a door that opens and closes on its own, you don’t have to be present to let your flock out of their coop in the morning or tuck them in at night. As long as your flock has plenty of food and water available to them, you may even be able to leave your flock for several nights without worrying about opening or closing the chicken coop door. Keep in mind the rest of your chicken coop and the chicken coop enclosure should be predator proof too!
Whether it be vacations, day trips, weekend trips, or late nights, having a chicken door that opens and closes on its own will give you more peace of mind about the safety of your flock. Once your flock is coop trained, they will go in to roost for the night. The automatic door will then close them safely in their coop. In the morning, it will automatically open and allow your flock access to their enclosure and fresh air.
Sometimes I’m going to be gone for an evening or out late at a family gathering. I just make sure I get all my chores done in the morning or afternoon. Then in the evening, the door will close and my chickens will be all tucked in so I don’t have to rush home to close their door before dark.
It’s a win-win for both you and your flock! It makes your coop more self-sufficient. Which then makes it easier for you to leave your flock for longer periods of time.
#3. Flock Sitter Friendly
An automatic chicken door makes leaving your flock for extended periods of time easier. Whether it be for a night or two nights, your flock may be able to be self-sufficient thanks to the safety of the automatic door. However, for longer periods of time, such as several days or weeks, you will still want to find a flock sitter. A flock sitter will be able to replenish food and water as well as clean up droppings.
Having an automatic chicken coop door installed can make finding a flock sitter easier. The flock sitter will have less pressure to safely close the flock in every night or get out and open up the door in the morning. With less time constraints on chores, you may be able to recruit a flock sitter a little easier. I know my flock sitters enjoy having the freedom to do chores anytime during the day rather than tending to the flock in both the evening and the morning.
With a chicken door that automatically opens and closes, you can make chore time a once-a-day occurrence. If your coop is really self-sufficient, you may even only need a chicken sitter to care for your flock every other day while you are gone.
If you make the daily chicken chores simple and have an automatic chicken coop door, your chicken sitter can enjoy caring for your flock and collecting free eggs!
#4. Encourages Coop Training
An automatic chicken coop door is helpful for coop training your flock. The chickens must learn to go into their coop to roost for the night and stay safe. By having the automatic door close at a specific time each day, you can train your flock to roost for the night in their coop.
Young chickens will need to be taught when to go into the coop every evening. Having an older flock who is already coop trained is helpful. The younger chickens will learn by following the older chickens in to roost. For first time flock owners, you will need to train your chickens to roost in their coop every night. Once your flock has been coop trained, they will learn to enter their coop before the automatic chicken coop door closes.
The automatic chicken coop door is also nice for allowing your flock to exit their coop every morning without you having to open the chicken door. They can be out in their enclosure before you even have to do chores! Less time spent in the coop means less mess you have to clean up in the coop!
#5. Multiple Power Systems
Lastly, just because you don’t run electricity out to your coop doesn’t mean you have to forgo an automatic chicken coop door! Most automatic chicken coop doors run off of battery. The battery can be charged using a trickle charge system or solar charged. If you do have electricity out at your coop, setting up a trickle charge system to the battery is pretty simple.
If you don’t have electricity out at your chicken coop, you can periodically re-charge the battery. Alternatively you can use a solar charge system. Investing in a solar charge system is the safer route to choose. That way you won’t have to worry about the battery ever getting low on juice and not opening or closing properly.
Aside from being charged by solar power, automatic chicken doors can also be rigged up with a simple solar sensor. A solar sensor triggers the door to open or close based on the amount of light it senses. The door will close at dusk and open at dawn. This method is nice because then you don’t have to worry about adjusting the open and close times throughout the year as the daylight length changes. Your flock may stay outside longer during the summer and go in to roost sooner in the winter.
Having multiple ways to power an automatic chicken door makes it adaptable for any coop, not matter if it has electricity or not.
Q&A
Are automatic chicken doors safe for the chickens?
Automatic chicken coop doors are safe for chickens. Your flock will quickly learn how the automatic chicken coop door functions. The only time it might become dangerous for your flock is when it is closing. However, if the door is programmed to shut after your flock roosts or at dusk, then your flock should be safely inside their coop and roosted before the door starts to shut.
Will my chickens get closed out at night?
As long as your flock is coop trained and you have the door closing at a reasonable time, your chickens should not get closed out at night by the door shutting too soon. Most automatic chicken doors are also programmed to open one more time after they close initially. This allows any stragglers to finish entering the coop before the door closes completely for the night.
Having the door shut as close to dusk as possible will prevent any chickens from being locked out at night. Chickens look for some place safe to roost as the sun sets. At dusk, they should all be safely in their coop.
How can I tell when the automatic door will open or close?
A lot of automatic chicken coop doors have several options for allowing you to control of open and close times. One option is to manually set when you want the door to open and close. This means you will have to get up early and/or stay up late to program the door for an appropriate open and close cycle. You will also have to continually adjust the open and close times throughout the year to compensate for changing daylight hours.
Alternatively, you can buy solar sensors for the automatic chicken coop door. The solar sensors will trigger the door to close at dusk and open at dawn. Solar sensors open and close the door based on light. This system requires minimal year round maintenance and is the easiest option for knowing when the door will open and shut.
Will a solar sensor door close if it gets too dark during a storm?
Yes, a solar sensor may close the automatic chicken coop door if a storm causes the light to drastically decrease. However, it would take quite a storm to trigger the door to shut. Usually this is a temporary problem. The door will open again once the storm passes and it becomes more light outside. You can easily open the door again by manually overriding the solar sensor. Systems of manually overriding the solar sensors will vary depending on the brand of chicken door.
Are automatic chicken doors easy to install?
Yes and no. It all depends on how handy you are with tools, the existing method you have set up for a chicken door, and the brand of automatic chicken coop door that you buy. A little experience with reading and following instructions is also handy!
Most automatic chicken coop doors are fairly simple to install. One major thing to keep in mind is the size opening you have for the chicken coop door. If you are building your chicken coop, leave the required amount of space needed by the automatic chicken coop door that you buy. If you are adding an automatic chicken coop door to an already built coop, you may need to make some adjusts to the existing opening to accommodate the automatic door.
When installing an automatic chicken coop door, make sure you leave room for the door to swing open or for the door to slide up, depending on the model you buy. Also make sure there are no cracks or holes around the automatic door where predators can sneak through.
Will an automatic chicken door be wide enough for large breeds likes Brahmas or Cochins?
Most automatic chicken coop doors are designed to accommodate a variety of chicken breeds. You can check out the size of different automatic doors by looking at their dimensions in the description. I have automatic chicken door that is 11.5″x15.5″ that my cochin hen can easily use.
These 5 reasons to get an automatic chicken coop door highlight the main benefits that installing an automatic chicken coop door in your homestead coop can provide for both you and your flock! In my opinion, they are well worth the investment and I love how self-sufficient they make both of my chicken coops. I can leave on weekend trips and not have to find chicken sitters or worry about my flock not being safely closed up at night. An automatic chicken coop door provides safety, self-sufficiency, convenience, and eco-friendliness to the homestead chicken coop!
If I have convinced you that investing in automatic chicken coop door is a good idea, then make sure you check out the automatic doors that I recommend below:
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by Alexa
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