The Sidell family wins our Ramshackled Coop contest.
They’ve since upgraded to a nicer coop made from an old out building.
The prize is an EZ Miser kit that makes it easy to convert almost any container into a side mounted chicken waterer.
This is the first draw bridge coop door opener I’ve seen.
It has the added benefit of working as part of the entrance ramp.
The motor is a common electric car window mechanism that can be found on Ebay and the Youtube video has a nice component animation that explains each piece and where it goes.
Any type of HVAC damper actuator can be configured as a coop door opener.
This Youtube video walks you through the steps and wiring details.
Using a heavy duty actuator like this closes the coop door with enough force to prevent any raccoon or monkey from pushing it up.