There are many kinds of automatic chicken coop doors and this will make it easier to decide which one would be best for your chicken coop or hen house. Automatic chicken doors with automatic locks can offer great conveniences to chicken owners who may have to go to work or school or if you just want to sleep late, before it's time to let your chickens out in the morning. One of the first priorities to consider is whether or not you have electric service going to your chicken coop. If you do not have an electric outlet in your coop it would be wise to invest in a solar powered and battery operated coop door because the batteries will open and close it, even on rainy days when there is no sun to operate on solar. Make sure that whatever chicken coop door you choose it is important to check the door after installing it. Make sure that the door shuts securely and cannot be pushed up by hand. If you can push the door up so can a raccoon and other predators. If your coop door can be pushed up by hand you will need to install a lock to prevent predators from opening it which kind of defeats the purpose of a chicken house door. It is best and safest to plug electric chicken doors directly into an outlet and not run them on extension cords running from your house to your coop. Always read the product reviews from verified customers before deciding on which chicken coop door to purchase.
You can get solar powered chicken house doors, electric powered chicken house doors and battery powered chicken doors at the low prices but when considering a lower priced option you must also consider the features of each coop door.
Best Features to Look For On Automatic Chicken Coop Doors:
Electric coop door opener.
Solar powered coop door opener.
Battery powered coop door opener.
Motion sensors that let the door know your chicken is in the doorway so it does not close on your chicken.
A chicken coop door that locks and unlocks automatically to keep predators out.
Remote control that lets you open your chicken coop door without going out to the coop.
An automatic chicken coop door will open to let your chickens out in the morning and close after they come in to roost in the evening. A good chicken coop door will have a timer which can be set to let your chickens in and out at specific times. Watch your chickens routines to determine what time to set the timers. It is not a good idea to let your chickens out until about an hour or two after daylight begins because many predators are out getting their breakfast in the wee hours of the morning. It is also great for mornings when you would like to sleep in or if you have to work late or go out of town for a few days, no worries, your chickens will go in to roost in the evening and the door will close automatically, keeping your birds safe and sound at night and letting them out in the morning, until you return. Makes your job easier. From my experience I prefer a solar powered chicken door with battery and electric backup because if one doesn't work the other will automatically kick in and do the job. Important note: If you are planning to leave your chickens at home alone while you go away on a trip, make sure you have cameras on them so you can view them night and day. It is also good to have a contact person who would be willing to go check on your birds at least once daily and that would be willing to go there in the event that you spot an emergency on your cameras.
Even if you have limited knowledge of building things, with just a few tools, you can easily assemble a chicken house door kit and if you are real handy you can build your own automatic chicken house door but for those of us who are not quite so handy there are many good quality automatic chicken doors available.
Best Features to Look For On Automatic Chicken Coop Doors:
Electric coop door opener.
Solar powered coop door opener.
Battery powered coop door opener.
Motion sensors that let the door know your chicken is in the doorway so it does not close on your chicken.
A chicken coop door that locks and unlocks automatically to keep predators out.
Remote control that lets you open your chicken coop door without going out to the coop.
An automatic chicken coop door will open to let your chickens out in the morning and close after they come in to roost in the evening. A good chicken coop door will have a timer which can be set to let your chickens in and out at specific times. Watch your chickens routines to determine what time to set the timers. It is not a good idea to let your chickens out until about an hour or two after daylight begins because many predators are out getting their breakfast in the wee hours of the morning. It is also great for mornings when you would like to sleep in or if you have to work late or go out of town for a few days, no worries, your chickens will go in to roost in the evening and the door will close automatically, keeping your birds safe and sound at night and letting them out in the morning, until you return. Makes your job easier. From my experience I prefer a solar powered chicken door with battery and electric backup because if one doesn't work the other will automatically kick in and do the job. Important note: If you are planning to leave your chickens at home alone while you go away on a trip, make sure you have cameras on them so you can view them night and day. It is also good to have a contact person who would be willing to go check on your birds at least once daily and that would be willing to go there in the event that you spot an emergency on your cameras.
Even if you have limited knowledge of building things, with just a few tools, you can easily assemble a chicken house door kit and if you are real handy you can build your own automatic chicken house door but for those of us who are not quite so handy there are many good quality automatic chicken doors available.