5 Things You Need to Know About Chicken Coop Doors
Keeping your chicks secure from predators is difficult. Something always appears to be trying to devour your hens for some reason. Coyotes, raccoons, and their likes seem to be excellent at breaking into the chicken coop (no matter how protected it is) and feeding on your birds. Installing an automatic chicken coop door is one sure-shot way to overcome this.
Automatic chicken coop doors function on a timer or motion sensor to open and close. A robust chicken coop door is necessary as it serves the primary aim of protecting your chicks from predators. There are two kinds of chicken coop doors:
- Automatic— Battery-powered or solar-powered
- The classic pop doors— manual operation; open it in the morning and close it at sundown.
Since every kind has a distinct size, it is imperative to have a chicken breed's coop door of the proper size. If you do not make your coop door of suitable fit, your hens may get caught while moving in and out of the coop.
Here are a few things to know before investing in or building a Chicken Coop Door:
Go for Automatic
Aren't you sick of getting up so early to open the entrance to your chicken coop? Do you experience trouble sleeping because you have to let your hens out each morning? Well, you might think about purchasing an automatic chicken coop door to solve your problem because everyone deserves a good night's sleep. Instead of opening the coop door yourself, an automatic Chicken Door lets you set a timer that unhinges the opening at a fixed time. You won't have to get up early in the morning to set your chicks free because now the door will do it for you; In the same way, it can even be closed automatically at night.
Automatic chicken coop doors, according to their owners, are a more efficient and convenient way to let your chicks in and out without putting in too much effort.
DIY v/s Automatic option
You might save money by creating your own chicken coop door, but you will save time by purchasing an auto door. It all depends on how valuable your time is to you. Constructing your chicken coop door is going to take some time, but buying one is far easier than creating one yourself. Also, a professionally done automatic chicken door comes loaded with a range of amazing features that a DIY variant might not be able to match up to.
Size matters
The dimension of your chicken coop door will primarily depend on the following:
Size of your chicken breeds
- Whether or not you have roosters
- Climate.
When determining the height of your chicken door, keep in mind that roosters are more likely to be larger than hens. 9-12 inches width and 10-14 inches in height are considered a decent size for a chicken coop door.
You don't need to worry about the dimension part, especially if you're considering getting an automatic chicken coop door or if you already have one. It is so because automatic chicken doors are usually standard sizes— any chicken breed can fit through them.
About keeping chicks indoors all-day
Your chickens can spend the entire day in their coop, although it is beneficial for them to be outside when the weather is not too cold or rainy. The dimension of your chicken coop and the number of birds inside will determine this. A chicken coop provides a safe environment for them to eat and drink. Hens could stay in pen all day if they aren't stressed or frustrated.
If your coop is small, your chicks will require access to the outside world to move about comfortably. A chicken coop with an automatic door will enable them to roam freely from inside of the pen to outside and vice-versa.
About closing chicken coop door
As soon as it gets dark outside, you must ensure to close the door to your chicken coop. Your chickens will return to their coop by sundown because they are the birds of habit and will retreat to a safe and familiar pen to spend the night. Also, since your hens lack night vision, it will be tough for them to move after the sun goes down.
To know more about Chicken Coop Doors, get in touch with the experts now at cheeper keeper.