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A home-made automatic chicken coop door to keep chickens secure.
The project
G'day fellow Workshoppers. We like to get away when we can and I don't like the idea of our chicken coop being left open overnight. I finally got around to designing, building and installing a new auto door for our chickens. This way the chickens are secure and we also have quite a large feeder and waterer that is fed off the bore. I will attempt a "how to" on this project.
The only bit of advice I will give you is to have a dedicated area for your chickens, otherwise they will get into everything and poo absolutely everywhere you don't want them to. I really hope you get some, as the entertainment alone is really cool.
Here are the parts required for the build that I put together. Motor, photocell, double pole double throw relay, timer, transformer, micro/limit switches and an enclosure to put it all in. (The black transformer may be used as an alternative).
I had to make a shaft for the motor so as to lift and lower the door. I decided to use a bolt with a hole drilled in the end to suit the shaft. A couple of very large washers and nuts and a smaller bolt tapped to lock onto the shaft as a key.
Time to put it all together. I also decided to install some LED marker lights I had as surplus to come on just prior to dusk and turn off after a couple of hours. I did a test run at this stage to ensure it worked.
The following is after installing on the coop. The little pulleys allow the door to open and close without binding.
The rope is just plain guyline and is not prone to rotting. I will probably replace this with something more permanent in the future.
Last but not least is the placement of the micro/limit switches which shut down the motor when either in the raised or lowered position. In this case, I used a long bolt and positioned the switches to allow activation.
Here's a price list of the items I bought:
- 24V DC motor with 48RPM reduction gearbox - $10.80
- Photocell - $3.26
- Relay - $4.70
- Timer - Free but can purchase for under $20
- Transformer - Free but approximately $20-30
- 2 x limit switches - $12
- Enclosure - $32 but can get much cheaper without clear lid
- Cable, connectors and miscellaneous stuff - approximately $5-6.
Labour not included (approximately four hours to put together, test and install). I was quite shocked at the price of purchasing a pre-built opener, which cost upwards of $250-400. I think I made the right decision making it myself.
Here is the wiring diagram. It may look a bit intimidating but it is foolproof.
How to build a D.I.Y. chicken coop
The Bunnings team has compiled this step-by-step guide on How to build a D.I.Y. chicken coop which includes a complete list of the tools and materials.
More inspiration for your chicken coop project
Workshop member Nathan built this barn-style chicken coop with gravity feeder from recycled pallet timber which can be easily disassembled.
Community member TheSaltyreefer used leftover materials to make this chicken coop with a Bunnings theme.
Check out Chicken coops and nesting boxes for more great ideas on how to care for your feathered friends.
Afternoon @darylhewston
That is brilliant and I love the "just the entertainment value alone" in reference to getting chickens lol
Thats a nice description of how to and also I like the way you have worked the motor and rope to open and close the door!
Have you found any of the chickens working out the sytem and geting around it?
That door and slide looks solid. Didd you sue anything to lubricate the slides?
Dave
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