DIY / Cheap automatic door opener (drawbridge type)

[frias]

P&T Poultry in Wales. I also think Wells Poultry does the same. I didn't need any other bits - my door is an up and down one. If you had a sideways one you'd need the pulley bits too.

I think they have gone up! Can't see one for £80

[Hilary B]

Buy one, or try the sort of thing RichmonHens mentions (a clock-powered release to a drop-open drawbridge).

Are they shut in a 'just a house' or is there some (very limited) 'outside' they can go into at first light? If they are locked indoors, allowing them to get into SOME outside space as soon as they like (needs to be very foxproof, but can be pretty small) may help.

[Flummery]

I think they have gone up! Can't see one for £80

Bought mine in January!

cor - just checked and they HAVE gone up haven't they? It seems I was 60 just in time!

[jbalmer]

They obviously saw us chook addicts coming! knowing what we would all want to buy once the summer mornings light came along!. They are shut in their coop at night and once out have a full garden to free range around. I do have another hutch which has a run underneath that i got for free that i think was for a rabbit or other small animal. I got it as a spare in case of need to isolate and also to introduce new hens, but maybe i could use this with some adapting as they wont perch anyway (lazy hens)

[raine]

can i ask if these automatic openers work for doors that warp in the rain? During the winter my pop hole doors stick quite bad, especially in the rain. Trouble is, during fine, sunny weather the door is already loose and i don't want to sand it down more.

[Flummery]

I would think it would stick Raine. It's only gravity that makes it go down when the door is released.

[lynda66]

i just leave my pop hole open all the time now it's warmer... they have a foxproof run .... and they seem perfectly happy with the arrangement, they get up have a drink have some pellets (which are in the house) scratch around sit in their tree branches, then start shouting for some food and to be let out in the garden as soon as they see movement from the house

[sheena]

I fitted a new door to mine a couple of days ago. It's a hinged door, so I can close it up of a night to keep the wind out, but hadn't put a latch on it. But so far so good, no noise in the morning infact I haven't heard a single bukbuk since the weekend.

So now I get a lay in, and the girl's let themselves out in the morning!
Now if only I can shut the god damn parrot up, bukbuk I can deal with, but a full on parrot scream is definately not a good alarm clock at 6am.