I will be the first one to admit it, having an automatic chicken door has been a complete game changer for me and my flock. Due to my busy schedule, I often stress about getting home from work or my volunteer position to be able to safely lock up my birds in the evening, particularly during the cold winter months when the sun goes down so early in the afternoon. Additionally, I have found that the ChickenGuard Automatic Chicken Coop Door Opener & Self-Locking Door Kit has allowed me to enjoy evenings with my family (a true luxury due to the pandemic) and even sleep in on an occasional weekend morning, without angry chickens who have had their schedule disrupted.
Once I brought the ChickenGuard Automatic Chicken Coop Door Opener & Self-Locking Door Kit home, I found that the entire system was easy to install and set up. The included instructions make attaching the door to your coop a breeze. We were able to use our existing chicken door hole, to install the automatic door, simply screwing the side rails to the outside of our coop. If you have a prefabricated chicken coop, the door is manufactured to work with a myriad of designs. For chicken keepers who are repurposing another building, you may need to cut a door into the wall, much like you would for installing a cat door. For more setup information see the video below:
The aluminum door and opening measures in at 10″x12″, and is large enough for even my roosters and largest hens. It features large, easy-to-press buttons with a big LED screen to make programming easy, even outside at dusk. The control panel is weather-resistant and mounts to the outside of the coop, which makes it simple to operate. You can also manually open and close the door if needed.
The system is extremely convenient, you can set a schedule for opening and closing the coop door at certain times, or you can set it to open upon sunrise and close at sunset. I really appreciate the light sensitivity meter, which you can adjust so the door opens when it is light out and closes when it gets dark. This feature is great for fall and spring when the days get shorter or longer every day.
I appreciated all of the thought that was put into developing the system. There is a light to indicate when batteries are low and need replacing so that your chickens never get locked in or out of the coop. The unit can also be wired to an outlet or solar panel if you have access to power. It even features a blinking red light when the door is closed so that you can easily tell from inside your house (no more late night trips to the coop to confirm that I remembered to shut the door!).
I was pleased that the system worked well in winter, even with snow and ice. I do recommend spraying the side rails with a silicone spray before the winter months, this helped to keep the rails free from ice build up. Fun fact: The side rails are made from environmentally-friendly, recycled plastic!
One of the best features of the ChickenGuard Automatic Chicken Coop Door Opener & Self-Locking Door Kit, however, is the security that it offers. The coop door has a locking mechanism, which ensures that rodents and other varmints cannot nose their way under it and into the coop. I sleep more soundly knowing that my flock is safe.
I highly recommend the ChickenGuard Automatic Chicken Coop Door Opener & Self-Locking Door Kit to poultry owners who are looking for a convenient way to care for their flock while also giving them top-of-the-line security. It has allowed me to enjoy my chickens more while being confident that they are safe and able to maintain their optimal schedule.
