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TIL a $25 automatic coop door opener was the best money I ever spent.
I got tired of rushing home before dark to close the coop, so I bought a basic timer model online. It cost about $25 and took maybe 20 minutes to install on my wooden coop door. Now it opens at dawn and closes at dusk, and my girls are perfectly safe even if I'm running late. Has anyone else found a reliable brand for these that holds up in heavy rain?
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susan_ward4mo ago
The timer models are actually pretty solid if you get the seals right like you said. My neighbor's been running a cheap one for 3 years now in the Pacific Northwest rain and it's still going. One thing though - the dusk/dawn sensors on those basic models can get thrown off by heavy cloud cover or even a bright moon. I've had mine open at 3am a couple times during a full moon, which freaked me out. The photo sensor thinks the moonlight is morning light. So if you're relying on the timer only for dusk/dawn, maybe double check it's actually a light sensor model and not just a basic timer that keeps the same schedule year round. The sunrise time changes so much across the seasons that a straight timer won't adjust.
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nina_hall5mo ago
Understand completely, that nightly dash to close the coop was such a source of stress for me too. I've been using a simple timer model for three winters now and it still works fine in the rain. Just make sure you seal any little gaps where the cord goes into the motor housing with silicone to keep the moisture out. It really does give you peace of mind knowing the flock is secure on its own schedule.
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finley5245mo ago
Wish I had your foresight, @nina_hall. My first timer died a sad, damp death because I forgot the silicone step. Now I check those seals like my chickens check for treats.
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