Admit it. We’ve all wished we could sleep in just a few more minutes before tending to our flock. But when the rooster crows, it’s our job to get up and let them out. Otherwise, you could have a chicken mutiny on your hands. The good news is that the modern era has brought us incredible technology, the automatic door. Let’s talk about why you need these inventions and the 6 best automatic chicken coop doors!
Should Chicken Coop Door Close At Night?
You might be wondering why chickens need even to be locked up at all. And the answer is pretty simple, predators. Even coops with the highest security aren’t a match for a hungry animal. Raccoons, dogs, cats, and even bears can get into almost anything if they are determined enough.
Leaving your hens out at night raises your risk of losing a few hens to predators. And it also increases the risk of your chickens wandering off. In a search for somewhere to roost, they might wander too far and never come back. So can I leave chicken coop door open overnight? We don’t suggest it. That’s where an automatic door can come in handy.
Pros Of Automatic Chicken Coop Doors
Before we talk about the 6 best automatic chicken coop doors, let’s convince you that you need them. Listed below are some of the fantastic perks of having an automatic door. You might even have a few ideas of your own.
Sleeping In
The first big perk is that your sleep will thank you. You can program these timers to open the coop doors any time you want. So just when your chickens start getting restless, the doors open for the day. And you can get a few more hours of shut-eye before tending to them.
Nights Out
Having a social life is very important for your well-being. And if you have chickens, you might feel like your days revolve around them. If you install an automatic chicken coop door, you can have a little more freedom. Go out dancing, to a concert, even a date without worrying about nighttime predators.
Emergencies
Emergencies always seem to happen at the strangest times, and they can keep you out later than usual. On top of worrying about your crisis, you don’t need to stress over your flock. Instead, using an automatic coop door as a backup can prepare you before a time of need.
Vacations
You can’t go on vacation without having someone feed your hens and do a few daily tasks. But if your help lives further away, asking them to come out twice a day at off times could seem like a bother. Instead of feeling like a burden, install one of these doors. Your helping friends will appreciate it as much as you.
No Cold Mornings
In winter, let’s face it, no one wants out earlier than you have to. If you time your doors right, you can have them open in the mornings while you stay warm a little longer.
Cons Of Automatic Chicken Coop Doors
Automatic doors used to come with a lot of risks. They wouldn’t always work, chickens got hurt, and predators could get in. But technology has come a long way in recent years. Now the only con to these doors is that they could lock chickens out of the coop.
We suggest making sure your chickens are well trained before relying too heavily on an automatic door. Once you know that your hens will go into the coop every night, they become more reliable. But until then, your chickens could be at risk.
How Do Automatic Chicken Coop Doors Work?
Automatic doors typically come in a few different styles and kits. Complete kits come with a door, sensors, motor, and a controller box. Now, these controller boxes all vary slightly. Some doors open with a sensor that “sees” sunlight and will open or close. Others have a timer on them that opens and close at your set times. There are even doors that you can program from your phone.
Then there are parts that you can buy and attach to your existing coop door. They have all the elements the other style comes with, minus the door. But the one thing all of these doors have in common is that the controller connects to a small motor that opens and closes the door.
What Size Should A Chicken Coop Door Be?
The biggest question people have about coop doors is how large they should be. You don’t want a door too large because it could let in drafts in winter. But if the door is too small, your chickens could have trouble getting inside. The perfect door size for most chickens is 10 inches wide by 13 inches tall. Even the largest of chickens can fit through these doors.
6 best Automatic Chicken Coop Doors
What is the best automatic chicken coop door? We believe anything from this list is only top quality for our readers. Each one is unique and has benefits everyone will love. Let’s take a look together.
JVR Chicken Coop Door Automatic Smart Opener Kit
We love products that we can set up and forget. That’s why we love the Smart Opener Kit by JVR. This automatic door connects to wifi so you can use it with their free app, Alexa, and Google Assist. You can open and shut the door with ease or set it on the timer.
This door also has superior locking mechanisms that keep predators out of your coop. They even claim that bears can’t lift the doors open, so you know that’s strong. And when you see that they also have a sensor to keep your chickens from getting hurt, you know that this brand has thought of everything.
JVR Chicken Coop Door Automatic Opener Kit With Light Sensor
Another fine product by JVR is this one with a light sensor. It has everything you love about the Smart Opener: high-quality, affordable, strong lock, and door sensor, and more. This door opener doesn’t need any programming or telling when to open and close it.
The JVR comes with a light sensor that sees daybreak and dusk and will open and close accordingly. These openers are helpful because you don’t have to keep reprogramming them with the time change. Just set it and forget it for more time to yourself before starting your day.
ChickenGuard Extreme Automatic Chicken Coop Door Opener
If you have the perfect door already, you might be looking for an attachment. That’s where the ChickenGuard Extreme comes in. This opener attaches to your existing door and can lift up to 8 pounds. And it keeps getting better.
You can use this either as a preprogrammed opener or as a light sensor. That means you can choose the safest times for your doors to open and close or let mother nature decide. The flexibility combined with a 3-year warranty is all we need to be satisfied here.
LOVSHARE Automatic Chicken Coop Door
The next door on our list is by Lovshare. This door triggers by sunlight, so when that time change happens, you don’t have to worry about lost sleep. And in the winter, your coop door will automatically know when it’s safe to go outside again. It also comes with added protection with a locking door. So you won’t have to worry about predators.
Another feature we love about this door opener is that it comes with remote openers. So if you decide that your hens could use some time outside the coop earlier, all you have to do is press a button. There are two of these openers that are about the same size as a key fob. So you can keep one close at all times.
ChickenGuard Premium ECO Automatic Chicken Coop Door
For some of you, there is a concern that your coop doesn’t have access to power. So you might think that your coop doesn’t qualify for an automatic opener. But ChickenGuard Premium ECO runs off batteries to bring automatic doors anywhere. And the batteries last at least four months, so you won’t have to worry for a while.
The Premium door opener gets better, though. It has a built-in LCD screen to set a timer for the door. Or you can use the adjustable light sensor to work naturally. And we love these types of openers for their flexibility. Plus, they always come with a warranty that you can’t get anywhere else.
Coop Controls Automatic Coop Door Opener Kit
Last on our list is a fantastic opener. This Coop Controls kit works with the door already installed. Furthermore, unlike many other installations, this device works with any door style. Most automatic openers are for doors that rise to open, but this also has an attachment for swinging doors. And you can’t find that often.
The icing on the cake with the Coop Controls is that it runs entirely off the sun. But we aren’t talking about just opening and closing. It’s also solar-powered. So you don’t have to worry about batteries or access to electricity. And you can’t get much easier than that!
Which One Do You Love?
It’s easy to see why we love these 6 best automatic chicken coop doors. Do you have a favorite? Which is it and why?
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Backyard Chicken Board!!
