Autodoor customers give their feedback!

Was it easy to install ? Have you installed directly onto your Cube or to the run? I installed it onto the Cube as I wanted them to be able to get up when they wanted and go back to sleep without the risk of Mr Fox getting to them. It was really easy to install and took about 20 minutes. The instructions are very user friendly.

What do you love about it? The freedom it gives me. As a new chicken keeper I understood the commitment of having chickens, although the reality is quite different. The girls like to get up at first light and for me to have even an hour lie in at the weekend, leaves me feeling guilty when I see them desperate to get out into the run. Likewise in the evening if I cannot be back for last light I worry frantically about the night time wildlife coming and disturbing the girls. However since trying the auto door a weight has been lifted. I no longer have the gruelling first light wake up call and I now know they are safely tucked up in bed while I’m out for dinner.

Which setting do you use? What is easy to set up? I use the timer setting. My chickens are kept at my allotment so unlike most I cannot keep a close eye on them out of the living room window. I have had first hand experience with foxes sniffing round the coop (the chickens were tucked up safe). That means I am extra cautious and like to let the girls out when the coast is clear so the timer allows me to have full control.

Has it changed your lifestyle? Do you finally get that lay in that most chicken keepers long for? It has completely changed my lifestyle. I even went through last winter leaving work for half a hour so I could go and lock the girls up safe and sound before dark. I suppose its not only changed my lifestyle but also my girls. I don’t think there are many people that keep chickens purely for the eggs. We all want to give the best life for our chickens, especially as mine have been rescued from a horrible life in a battery farm. So for the girls to have consistency, waking up at the same time every day, having as long as possible to roam around as they please, and then put themselves to bed knowing that they are going to be safe. Its perfect for us.

Not knowing anything about automatic doors, I didn’t know what to expect or how it would work. I may have been a bit sceptical but I was completely won over after setting it up. Being able to set the timer or use the light setting filled me with confidence. I was a tad worried about the door shutting on the girls but it moves fairly slowly and gives the girls plenty of warning. Plus it has a “crush” detector, so if anything gets in the way, it won’t close. I wasn’t sure if I would be having to refill it with batteries every two seconds as I don’t have mains electricity down my allotment, however the battery has never run down. The info panel tells you exactly how much battery is left which again gives me peace of mind.