Automatic coop doors have been around for a while now and are an essential element of most keeper' kit. They eliminate the need for manual opening and closing of the coop every morning and evening. In our opinion, this makes them THE best thing since sliced bread!
Their reliability saves the lives of thousands, if not millions, of chickens every year. This is particularly useful for poultry owners with busy schedules or those who are unable to tend to their chickens at specific times.
Battery-powered automatic door units are easy to install on Nestera coops and other brands. They are quick and convenient. We make units that lift doors up and down but side to side motions are available from other manufacturers.
It's great to get in the habit of changing the unit’s batteries twice a year or if the low battery light comes on.
How it works
The unit can be operated in 3 ways; manually, automatically with the timer or automatically with the lux sensors. You can open and close the coops at the touch of a button at any time of the day or night.
You can also set the unit to open and close at pre-set times every day such as 7am and 7pm.
The final setting is known as the ‘lux’ setting. Although lux means light, it could also stand for luxury as it’s the most useful setting and the one we always recommend.
Chickens are equipped with natural little light sensors in their heads. They are very good at recognising when the day is ending and nightfall is coming. Over many years, chickens learned to avoid nighttime predators. They seek shelter at dusk to stay safe.
Getting to bed
Modern chicken breeds like living in coops, while wild chickens in Asia, Africa, and South America prefer roosting in trees.
Chickens will head off to bed at roughly the same light level every day. The further you live from the equator the greater the difference in time of dusk from one month to the next.
In the UK dusk can be between 3pm-4pm in mid-Winter yet 9pm-10pm in mid-Summer. If your door unit has a timer, make sure to adjust it regularly.
This will prevent your birds from being left inside without protection. Remember to check the timer frequently to ensure your birds are safe or locked out.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your birds are safe in the coop at night. This applies whether you have an automatic door or not. Remember to check on them before bedtime. Make sure all doors are securely closed. Your birds' safety is important.
Our door units are much more adjustable than most. If you have chickens who prefer to roost much later/darker in the day than most or are early birds, the lux setting can be adjusted accordingly.
Not only that, but you can set the unit to open automatically at 7am for instance but close automatically at dusk. This option may give you best of both worlds.
Don’t forget, not only do automatic doors keep your flock safe from large predators such as foxes, badgers, coyotes and raccoons, but they also block entry to smaller pests like mice and rats.
By automatically opening and closing at set times, these doors help establish a consistent routine for chickens, which can be beneficial for their health and well-being. Maximising exposure to daylight and darkness can help regulate their natural behaviours and egg-laying cycles.
They also improve welfare by allowing chickens out earlier in the morning and be shut in later in the evening, without requiring the presence of the owner. This extended free-range time can be beneficial for the chickens; exercise and enrichment and make less likely to peck one another.
Some chicken keepers leave the coop door open at night, trusting the fence to keep their chickens safe. This strategy is risky. It can expose your birds to drafts, bad weather, and pests all night long. This can make them uncomfortable.
Automatic coop doors provide poultry owners with peace of mind, convenience, and improved management of their flock, contributing to better productivity and welfare for the chickens.
Although they can be used for ducks also, ducks aren’t so good at going to bed by themselves. The units are still useful for letting all forms of poultry out every morning giving them the chance to get started with their morning, while you enjoy yours.
Automatic doors can change how you care for chickens. They improve welfare and security, making them a valuable tool for chicken keepers.
If you need friends or neighbours to help look after your flock while you go away on holiday, they only need to visit once a day. It’s often the one thing new keepers put off buying. Veteran keepers who’ve experienced the sorrow of having their flocks predated know it’s always money well spent.
