auto door for poultry house

[splitter]

Need help, doe's anyone know how to build a auto poultry house door using a photo cell to open and close at dusk and dawn. Or doe's anyone have one for sale. Thanks Splitter

[Furby]

I'm wondering if it would even work as you may have a hard time finding one that would trip when it's dark enough.
Otherwise you risk locking some out.
I'd be looking at something that was on a timer and you'd simply have to reset the timer a few times a year.
Like right now, the timer could go off at 6 or 6:30 pm and all the birds are probly going to be inside by then.
But a photo cell may trip at 5:15 or 5:30pm or something like that. Our chickens and duck are still out after sundown.
Not too much after though. ;)

[beenthere]

If Furby's comments don't discourage you... ;D... then a photocell comes packaged already in the circuit of a motion detector...and they are pretty cheap.

Then for the auto door, search back in Jeffs archives for the patent on his gate opener...prolly can scavenge some of his ideas at a low cost in royalties...he recently said it's been working pretty good.

And if the chickens are not all in and return after the door is closed, the motion detector could open the door for them... : : : ;D ;D (as well as the skunk or coon that you are prolly trying to keep out).

[Furby]

Actually, this is a great time to look for a photocell, as they have some setup with outlets on them for Christmas lights.

[splitter]

Guys thanks for the input, I have thought of using a timer and that would be great maybe even better than a photo cell. The part I need help with is the opening and closing. I found a poultry door opener that made overseas but the postage is something else. I know someone out there has made one of these things. I just found plans on e-bay for $24.95 may have to order them. If any one is interested they are called ,Poultry house auto door plans. But I am still open for any ideas you may have. Thanks Splitter

[scsmith42]

Hey Splitter - welcome to the forum!

I've thought about doing the same thing as you.  Two ideas that I came up with were using an electric window opener from a car door (they usually have some type of scissor action which could be adaptable), or a linear actuator from surplus Center.

Whereabouts in NC are you?

Scott

[splitter]

Scott, I'm from the mountains where the liquid that comes from the hollars don't have much color, and the chickens wear pants. Splitter

[Furby]

Well a garage door opener would be kinda big, but it would have everything you need if you could find an old one with the IR sensors and such.

Here's a link to Jeff's gate project that Beenthere spoke of.
Link

[splitter]

Thanks Furby, hope Scott has a sense of humor. Scott to be serious I'm from Mitchell Co. But I'm living in Yancey Co. Splitter

[scsmith42]

Splitter, are you kidding?  When I read your response I was ready to get some mason jars out and come a visit'n!

That's some pretty country that you live in!

Scott

[splitter]

Thanks Scott, If you ever get up my way I'd be glad to meet you, may ever buy you a cup of coffee. Splitter

[splitter]

Scott, by the way we don't use mason jars, we use brown clorox jugs, do you have any corn cobs I'm running low. Splitter

[Coon]

Gotta gets meself summa dat stuff...  Getting kinda cold up dis far north and me innerds need thawin' out. :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Furby]

Here's another idea for ya. ;)

They make a "pet" door that will only open when the pet wearing a collar with a little transponder in it gets close enough to the door to trigger the release.
Just have to put a little collar on each of your birds!
;D ;D ;D

[beenthere]

..................... I just found plans on e-bay for $24.95 may have to order them. If any one is interested they are called ,Poultry house auto door plans. .................

Be cautious of plans to build something on eBay.. I've heard of a lot of plans that just don't (can't) work, but are still called plans.  I think there was also some for sawmills, but don't remember that for sure. A previous forum I was at (TBN) continually discussed lousy plans from eBay.  That doesn't mean they are all lousy.

Good luck to you.

And for Furby's idea, hang a magnet around their neck, and have it trip a sensor that triggers a switch that opens the door.  Go wireless...

[athelstan]

How about a semi-automatic door? (This is a cut and paste from another forum).

"We have a semi automatic pop hole opener which cost about a fiver for the parts. the pop hole is held open by a spring under tension. The bottom of the pop hole has a pin of a gate catch attached to it and the latch of the catch is fastened to the base of the run. The bit of the latch where you would put your thumb to open the gate is connected to a small hinged trapdoor.
The hens need to shut up at night and then the pophole is pulled down against the spring and fastened by the latch, the pophole then can only be opened inside the run by the first hen to step on the trapdoor in the morning.
The fiddly part is setting the tension on the trapdoor for the weight of hen and it takes a day or so to train the hens to use it. (Ten minutes for a duck!)"

Should give endless amusement to the hens even if it doesn't work!

[Shotgun]

They make a "pet" door that will only open when the pet wearing a collar with a little transponder in it gets close enough to the door to trigger the release.
Just have to put a little collar on each of your birds!
;D ;D ;D

So, if da skunk or da coon catches one of your birds outside and starts wearing da special collar, you'll have to change da code real fast, or they'll be disappearing while their in da coop again.   ;D

[Furby]

 :D :D :D

[blueduck]

The little walkway lights on at dusk and off at dawn would work for your trip just have to reverse the application, a stepper motor or timed motor for opening the door and closing it that could run either ac or dc depending upon the remoteness of the building in correlation to your power supply check out little motors at http://surpluscenter.com/electric.asp?UID=2007112011174079&catname=electric  Ive bought from them over the years for project makins and found the things i get there very good or better than i expected....

I finally found a timer that runs 12volt for my future hydroponic setup so i can keep it off grid but its a spendy little unit being around $85 and a multiple event during the day and a 7 day timer, so for now my little hydroponic setup from vertigro uses a lamp timer set a couple tmes a day for the pump to run just to keep the wife in leafy greens during the long Idaho winters.... but it aint to far off from your door application.

I cant think to great right now, done got the flu yesterday and my head hurts, my body aches and I wish I would have been drinking so i knew it was my fault i felt like i do..... the rest of the family have had it one form or another for the past 2 weeks, and i thought i would escape it, i had not been flu sick in 2 years..... Ive got a book stashed somewhere with a whole bunch of electronic projects in it that would fit just what you are wanting to do, one of them opened and closed house curtains in the same manner, book is like 22 years in my possession, but it had the pasrts listed you needed and those can still be found with a little looking..... now if i didnt give the book to someone like my little brother who works in the computer design feild..... so it will be a few days afore i can figger out if i got it in a box or he has in his house in Boise.... he never calls or writes....

William
central Idaho

[splitter]

Thanks for the info, what a bunch of jokers. Splitter

[Coon]

Don't think you should have called us jokers..........  we're not.  We're a bunch of rednecks with a solution for just about anything you can think up. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[scsmith42]

<grin> Splitter, clorox bottles, eh?  That's a pretty good trick!  I'll be sure to give you a shout if I'm going to be headed your way.

Scott