ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS > FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE
Automatic chicken coop door
Acebird:
Initially you have to train the stubborn ones to get into the coup before the door closes
Kathyp:
--- Quote ---I made one with a 4v battery operated screw driver.
--- End quote ---
I am not that handy. :grin:
The problem I might have with the solar panel is that the ones I have looked at, the panel looks cheap. They won't hold up long I am afraid and the connection would have to be rewired to replace. They are not just plug-and-play for a new panel, but the wiring is probably easy if it's accessible.
There are some that just plug into an outlet and my coop is close enough to an outlet to run an extension cord.
I am going to go to the feed store and talk to the chicken lady. If anyone knows about them, it will be her and I'll let you know. Meantime, hopefully someone who has one will chime in too!
Lesgold:
I helped one of my students design one about twenty years ago. From memory it was battery operated and solar charged. A catch held the gate open and a circuit that included a light dependent resister controlled the catch. When light levels dropped sufficiently (close to dark) the circuit opened the gate latch and the door closed. It worked very well.
Acebird:
--- Quote from: Lesgold on January 17, 2023, 05:18:12 pm --- When light levels dropped sufficiently (close to dark) the circuit opened the gate latch and the door closed. It worked very well.
--- End quote ---
The trouble is light levels change with cloud cover and that makes the closing not consistent. States like where Kathy lives have a lot of rain so solar is not the best.
Kathyp:
--- Quote ---States like where Kathy lives have a lot of rain so solar is not the best.
--- End quote ---
That is kind of my concern especially if the solar panel is not high quality. If I don't get called to do some work today I am going to go talk to the chicken lady.
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