The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: oor wullie on January 26, 2013, 10:11:34 am

Title: Automatic Door Opener
Post by: oor wullie on January 26, 2013, 10:11:34 am

Anyone use an auto door opener on their hen hoose? 
Any recommendations? Anything to look out for?

The 2 options seem to be the VSBsa or the Chickenguard ones.

Title: Re: Automatic Door Opener
Post by: SallyintNorth on January 26, 2013, 10:35:01 am

This gets discussed regularly - if you search VSB you'll come up with a lot of recommendations!  :)

Title: Re: Automatic Door Opener
Post by: doganjo on January 26, 2013, 11:34:47 am

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=26912.msg265614#msg265614 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=26912.msg265614#msg265614)

Title: Re: Automatic Door Opener
Post by: oor wullie on January 26, 2013, 11:45:10 am

Ah yes, I had been putting all the wrong words into the search.
Thanks

Title: Re: Automatic Door Opener
Post by: harry on January 26, 2013, 09:27:36 pm

only thing i can tell you is.......... winter = frozen door = busted auto door opener

Title: Re: Automatic Door Opener
Post by: Womble on January 27, 2013, 12:04:44 pm

Yes, as Harry says, I ended up building a 'porch' around our pop hole to keep the snow and rain off, and hence stop it from freezing up. I would definitely recommend you do this.  The actual VSB itself is very good though.

Title: Re: Automatic Door Opener
Post by: Greenerlife on January 27, 2013, 02:33:20 pm

I have a VSB one and itis blimmin marvellous!  I did replace the wooden door with a sheet of metal though, so the runners don't stick, warp or freeze in the snow, and it works just fine.  Programming the clock takes some tting used to, but overall it is a great gadget that works!

Title: Re: Automatic Door Opener
Post by: P6te on January 27, 2013, 07:05:56 pm

I most certainly recommend the VSB .... but fit it on the INSIDE of the hen house and in my experience this prevents it from freezing up!  I have 2 in use, one inside and one on the outside hence the comment and direct comparison.

Pete

Title: Re: Automatic Door Opener
Post by: mab on January 27, 2013, 08:02:10 pm

Got a VSB (christmas present to myself) so I didn't have to rush back from work to lock the chickens in before foxy got them.

Works well excepting the freezing issue already stated, and it doesn't stop Mr Fox waiting for the door to open in the morning - I guess the timer option would sort that (he got my cockrell 2 weeks ago that way - though at least he didn't get any of the ladies). so I open the outer run door manually ATM ::) .