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For a lot of people, the idea of an automatic chicken coop door is to give them a couple of extra hours in bed. While that’s a definite benefit for many of us, the most important aspect is actually the security of your chicken coop and the safety of your chickens!
The predators that will kill your chickens will vary depending on where you are, but things like foxes, mink, raccoons, coyotes, dogs and cats will certainly cause havoc. So will eagles, hawks and owls. Even crows and jays will take young chicks, as will rats.
Ah, you say, but I always close my chicken coop door every evening. Do you? What about if you are late home from work? What about when you want to go out early evening to a school or sports event and you don’t get back until well after dark? What happens when you want to go on vacation?
You might think it won’t happen to you, but any of the above predators are opportunist killers. An adult fox or mink only needs five minutes to create carnage in your chicken coop. You could come home that one time you didn’t get back as usual to find nothing but blood, feathers and bodies. It’s not a pleasant thought.
It’s also not necessary if you invest in an automatic chicken coop door. It will ensure the job is always done for you and that your birds are safe. If you’re not particularly an early riser it will handle that chore for you too.
There is lots of choice. If you know a little about motors and electrics it’s quite possible to put something together yourself. The easier alternative is to buy an automatic chicken door kit and there are quite a few available.
Some are mains operated, some use batteries (make sure you check them regularly if you get one of these). There are those that have a sensor so they open or close depending on light conditions. If you are concerned that shade from a nearby building might effect this the alternative is the kind with a timer. You simply set the time for the door to open in the morning and when it shuts at night.
There are further choices as to whether it’s a sliding door or a flap-opening type. Having looked at many options it would seem that none of them are difficult to fit, it’s just a question of choosing which one suits your circumstances best.
An automatic chicken door is and extra expense, of course, but it’s extremely convenient for you, it may save you money in the long run if you have to replace your hens and it will certainly save you a great deal of heartache.
For details of the choices available and which one would suit you best, pop over to Automatic Chicken Coop Doors. You can also get yourself a free 7-part course on chicken coop building and chicken keeping.