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Automatic Chicken Coop Doors - A Little Chicken Lifesaver!

25 16:37:59

For a lot of people, the great benefit of an automatic chicken coop door is undoubtedly a couple of extra hours asleep. Of course that's a bonus for most of us, but the really important aspect is actually the security of your bird's home and the safety of your hens!

 

The animals that will kill your birds will vary depending on where you live, but things like mink, martens, foxes, dogs and cats will certainly create dangers. So will buzzards, eagles and hawks. Even crows and rooks will take young chicks, so can rats.

You might say wait, I invariably close my chicken coop door every night. Always? What about if you are late home from work? What about when you want to go out early evening to a show or party and you don't get back until past dark? What happens when you want to go away for a few days?

Maybe you believe it won't happen at your place, but any of the hungry birds and beasts above are opportunist killers. An adult fox or mink requires just minutes to create dreadful damage in your chicken coop. You could return that one time you didn't get back as normal to find nothing but blood, feathers and bodies. It's not a pleasant thought.

It's also not necessary if you buy an automatic chicken coop door. It will make sure the job is always done for you and that your ladies are secure. If you don't like getting up early it will handle that chore for you too.

There is lots of choice. If you know something about small motors and electrics it's quite possible to put something together yourself. My choice is to buy an automatic chicken coop door kit - and there a number of different ones available.

Some are mains fed, some require 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 stop this working properly the alternative is the kind with a timing mechanism. You just need to set the time for the door to open in the morning and when it locks them in at night. There are more decisions about whether it's a sliding door or a flap-opening type.

Having looked at many types it would seem that none of them are difficult to fit, it's just a question of selecting which one suits your circumstances best.

An automatic chicken coop door is an extra expense, of course, but it's very convenient for you personally, it may save you quite a bit in the long run (if unfortunately you have to replace your hens) and it will certainly save you a great deal of grief.