There are a few things to consider when picking out an Automatic Chicken Coop Door. You may have a unique size coop, plans to expand your flock in the future, or simply want to a unique feature on the door. Whatever the case here is an article of things to consider when choosing an Automatic Chicken Coop Door our top rated door to choose from online.
TOP RATED DOORS
Reviews and testimonials can be a great tool when researching online but often times these can be misleading or paid for. Unfortunately for this reason we went online and purchased more than 21 model Automatic Chicken Coop Doors and made our decisions based on our findings over a one year period of use.
DOOR SIZE
One of the first things you will need to consider when choosing your chicken coop door is the size. The door size will mostly depend on your coop, so you will need to measure it before you get started. Most chicken coops have a 10” x 10” entrance, but some can be as small as 9 inches and as large as 13 inches. If you are building a coop, we recommend a larger size around 11” x 13”.
CLEARANCE
You will also need to measure the space above the door to ensure enough clearance to install the mechanism that will raise the door. If your entrance is 12 inches high, you will need at least 12 additional inches above the hole for the door to lift out of the way. You will also need another few inches for the motor. The more space you have, the more choices. If you don’t have enough space above the door, you may need to look for a brand that opens sideways.
CONTROLLER
You may decide the best means for your coop door is remote control, timer operations, wifi, solar eye, manual operation switch. In either case you should be aware of solar eye doors. These are generally a cheaper design and can cause the door to close early on the chickens locking them outside the coop leaving them vulnerable to predators. Timer, remote control, and wifi controllers are the safest means for chicken coop doors.
Timers allow you to set an exact time that the door will open and close regardless of how high the sun is. Timers help keep your chickens safer by opening the door a little later than a light sensor when there is a better chance the predators are gone.
AUTOMATIC DOOR TYPE
Most of the devices on this list are the type that uses a strong motor to pull a thick string that raises and lowers the door. The door is in a track on either side, so it stays in position as it opens and closes. Other types might use hydraulics or gears to move the door. These designs can be dangerous as they force the door shut which can cause injury to chickens if they stay underneath them. For this reason a door with a lift string is highly recommended to lift and lower the door with a lift string and gravity fed so there will never be injury to your flock. The type you choose is a personal preference, but we recommend the string because if it breaks, it’s easy to fix, and this type is usually less expensive and easier to install.
CONCLUSION
When choosing your next automatic chicken coop door, we highly recommend our pick for the best overall. The Premium Timer Operated Automatic Chicken Coop Door is easy to install and operate. It has timer capability and the timer can easily be unplugged or replaced if another controller is desired at a later time, so you can use whatever is more convenient. It has a large door and uses durable materials. Another smart choice is our pick for the best value, the Metal Timer Operated Automatic Chicken Coop Door It has durable design and a large door, and it’s easy to set up and customizable for your coops needs.
We hope you have enjoyed reading over these reviews and have found a few models you haven’t heard of before. If we have helped you keep your chicken coop safer, please share this on Facebook and Twitter.
Article Prepared by Jeremy Smith with Free Range, Inc.
Over 30 years experience in free range poultry farming.
Reviews
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We love our Door. We got the wood one. It's been running for about 14 years. We couldn't imagine our coop without our automatic coop door.
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“We absolutely love our coop door, and I tell everyone it is the best investment we have made so far in setting up our new farm! We are about to build a second chicken house for another area, and another door will be an absolute must!!” -Carmen Lingenfelter
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I love my new automatic chicken coop door. I have been using it for a few weeks now without fail. The foxes and raccoons are plotting a strike against your company I hear. The installation was easy and it works great. Keep up the good work! John J.
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Thank you for the wonderful product! We have an elderly coop that has had a power antenna door opener. It worked ok but would only last a few months before burning up. I appreciate the positive shut off to keep the motor from burning up with your product. Also the slip pin to keep it from braking. The product has only been installed for a few months but is working as expected. Thank you Alan in Washington State
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Since we live on the side of a mountain, we built a platform for our new chicken coop. We ordered an 8x10 shed from Home Depot. We customized it with an easy to clean roost and shelf arrangement, added insulation, electrical, an epoxy coated floor and of course our automatic coop door. The coop door is amazing...over 6 years and no failures and no chickens lost! -Willard A.
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10x12 shed I converted to a coop and use your door. Love the door! Makes chicken keeping much easier. Bruce P.
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I make custom coops for urban chicken people and using the wood chicken coop doors on all my coops. My customers never complain. Daniel Read
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We received our automatic chicken Coop door a few days ago. The installation Was easy and we are very satisfy. Thank You, Mario Hamel Québec Canada
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We use their motors on our coops we build. We are Amish Built Coops.
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I own a chain of remote cabins for retreats. All my cabins have a chicken coop on site. Al of them use the Model D20 motors as advertised here. Paul
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I use my motor with a 12V solar panel and battery. The switch was easy.
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We have a variety of 20 chickens that share two henhouses. I built a corridor of sorts to join the two coups together and allow for a single entrance/exit for the birds. We live in hawk country in Maine so I have installed netting in their run areas to prevent casualties. After a year so far so good. Bruce Z
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Thanks for easy install. Great quality product! David Sokola
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I write for Community Chickens and we highly recommend this Automatic Chicken Coop Door!
Everything is very open with a really clear clarification of the
issues. It was definitely informative. Your site is
very helpful. Many thanks for sharing!