Are automatic chicken coop doors worth it?
For most keepers, yes. Many predators are most active from dusk to dawn, and an automatic door closes on time every night. Pick one that locks against lifting, opens wide enough for your breed and is rated for your coldest nights.
For most people, yes. Many predators are most active from dusk to dawn, and an automatic door closes your coop at dusk even if you're stuck at work or asleep on the couch. Doors run from about $50 to $480.
What to look for
- A real lock. Raccoons can lift a sliding door that only drops by gravity. Look for a self-locking or motor-locking door. Of the 12 we compare, 8 say they lock.
- The opening size. Standard hens are fine at 10 to 12 inches tall. Brahmas, Orpingtons and Jersey Giants need 13 or more. Some small doors open only 8 inches. Doors for large breeds.
- A cold rating. Batteries and motors slow down in the cold. Ratings run from -4°F to -20°F, and several doors don't give one. Doors rated for 0°F and colder.
- Light sensor and timer. A light sensor follows the seasons on its own. A timer is handy when a porch light confuses the sensor. Most good doors do both.
- Power you actually have. Battery doors are the easiest to fit. Solar works if the panel gets winter sun. Plug-in doors are the most reliable if your coop has an outlet.
Count heads anyway
A door that closes on time can still close on an empty coop if a hen is late. Set it to close after your hens have gone in for the night, and check once in a while that everyone made it in. Doors with a phone app let you check from the couch.
Compare all automatic coop doors.
Sources
- UNH Extension: protecting chickens from predators (predators most active from dusk to dawn)
Questions people ask
Do automatic coop doors work in winter?
Most do if they're rated for your lows. Ratings we've seen run from -4°F to -20°F, and some doors don't give one.
Solar or battery coop door?
Battery doors are the easiest to install. Solar makes sense if the panel gets winter sun.