Great! My husband re-designed a chickshaw so the front is higher than the nesting box end. This will accommodate a vertical automatic door. We have not purchased the door yet, so Ill show him this video and see what he thinks. Hope to see your video featuring the door in action soon! Your farm is coming along splendidly, Dan & Ashley!
They might get freaked out the first few times, as they are creatures of habit, and it would be new. But, because they're creatures of habit, they should readjust and be just fine.
I have a feeling this is going to involve some field development. Visions abound of chickens locked out, straggling chickens caught by the closing door, extender fouled by dinosaur guano, door closing prematurely due to heavy cloud cover (or eclipses), etc. looking forward to seeing it put into action.
You "know the right people"!! I'm excited to see how this works. Did he say the door would shut automatically when the light sensor reacts to less light? If one of the chickens doesn't make curfew...then what? Preditor Fricasee??!! Just having fun at your expense!! 😉
Very interesting. Hope it works. You could put a short auditory cue a few (10-20?) seconds ahead of actuation (especially for closing), so that the chickens have a little warning that the door is about to close and they can get inside. Depending on how closely the light sensor's sensitivity corresponds to your chickens' clocks, you might have a few stuck out of the chickshaw the first few times. Also, I wonder if you'll need to program it so that once the actuator starts, it completes the operation. Otherwise, it might keep starting and stopping when the light is intermediate, especially if there's moving cloud cover at dawn or dusk. I guess there won't be a latch, unless the actuator will also be mechanically linked to unlatch something. Is the actuator strong enough to keep the door closed and to provide sufficient resistance to chicken-pushing, raccoon-prying, etc.?
ncooty. with this style of chicshaw its above the critters , joel salitan has his broilers on the ground and has no trouble, the actuator would have a resistance to it which is kinda like a lock
I didn't get to read all the comments. What I did read are the same things that I am wondering. Also, couldn't you use a timer instead of a sensor? We usually have a couple birds that are out until just past dark most days. We too have the issue of waiting up to lock them in.
a timer could be used but each day the time the chickens wake and go to sleep changes based the sunlight. A sensor is the better way to go in my opinion
The Grass-fed Homestead be interesting so see it in action. we just have an alarm set we change when needed to go drop the door. Raising the door is subjective to where they are laying there eggs. They get locked in longer if they aren't laying in the coop. I would prefer in the nest boxes but it's a compromise I can live with. Someday we might get automated.
Will there be a manual override in case you need to keep the chickens in after daybreak? (For moving or other handling where it would be more convenient or make the task easier by having them confined a bit longer.)
The problem in the north in the summer is that if you stay up until 10 to do your last chores (close the coop), then say get to bed by 11, then get up at 3:30 to open that door by 4 am with sunrise, you would never get enough sleep. Automation helps...
I love your show and / but, part of the joy of farming, is being there. Seeing the animals, knowing them, being awake. (I vote you or Little Buddy be in charge, not automation.)
I am building a similar door and I want to power it with the same solar/battery set up that will power a fence around the chickens like you have. Can you share what solar panel/charger you use that powers both the door and the fence?
Yea, Star Wars and the Millennium Falcon!! I love star wars, saw it when I was in 6th grade, 1977!! I knew there was a reason I liked your channel!
Chicken guard!!! Best door very well built like military quality. Worth every cent.
Great! My husband re-designed a chickshaw so the front is higher than the nesting box end. This will accommodate a vertical automatic door. We have not purchased the door yet, so Ill show him this video and see what he thinks. Hope to see your video featuring the door in action soon! Your farm is coming along splendidly, Dan & Ashley!
What a good idea hope it works will stay tuned to see. Also glad to see Blue is better. tyfs Pat
Looking forward to the install video! Will be checking out Charlie's blog.
thanks Todd!
Work smarter, not harder, I'm all for that!
We need this. This is great information. Thank you . We will be watching.
I wonder if the noise of the motor noise will freak out the birds. Look forward to the follow up video
They might get freaked out the first few times, as they are creatures of habit, and it would be new. But, because they're creatures of habit, they should readjust and be just fine.
agreed - it isn't very loud but it will still annoy them at first. They will get used to it quickly though
The Grass-fed Homestead It may just sound loud due to Mic. Thanks for feedback
that is so neat.
Good idea, now on to training the chickens, maybe ring a bell minutes before the door closes...
I should have read Arnold's post before commenting.
I have a feeling this is going to involve some field development. Visions abound of chickens locked out, straggling chickens caught by the closing door, extender fouled by dinosaur guano, door closing prematurely due to heavy cloud cover (or eclipses), etc. looking forward to seeing it put into action.
I'll address this in the next video
OK
So awesome that y'all are automating the door on the chickshaw, I wonder if Justin Rhodes will see this...
🌱Be Blessed ღ 🌼
It might works its way to him eventually
That thing got a Hemi in it ?
This techie stuff is the dark side of the moon to me, but it sounds like a good idea. Looking forward to see how well it works.
You "know the right people"!! I'm excited to see how this works. Did he say the door would shut automatically when the light sensor reacts to less light? If one of the chickens doesn't make curfew...then what? Preditor Fricasee??!! Just having fun at your expense!! 😉
I'll address this in the next video
that is soooo cool!
Very interesting. Hope it works. You could put a short auditory cue a few (10-20?) seconds ahead of actuation (especially for closing), so that the chickens have a little warning that the door is about to close and they can get inside. Depending on how closely the light sensor's sensitivity corresponds to your chickens' clocks, you might have a few stuck out of the chickshaw the first few times.
Also, I wonder if you'll need to program it so that once the actuator starts, it completes the operation. Otherwise, it might keep starting and stopping when the light is intermediate, especially if there's moving cloud cover at dawn or dusk.
I guess there won't be a latch, unless the actuator will also be mechanically linked to unlatch something. Is the actuator strong enough to keep the door closed and to provide sufficient resistance to chicken-pushing, raccoon-prying, etc.?
ncooty. with this style of chicshaw its above the critters , joel salitan has his broilers on the ground and has no trouble, the actuator would have a resistance to it which is kinda like a lock
I didn't get to read all the comments. What I did read are the same things that I am wondering. Also, couldn't you use a timer instead of a sensor? We usually have a couple birds that are out until just past dark most days. We too have the issue of waiting up to lock them in.
a timer could be used but each day the time the chickens wake and go to sleep changes based the sunlight. A sensor is the better way to go in my opinion
The Grass-fed Homestead be interesting so see it in action. we just have an alarm set we change when needed to go drop the door. Raising the door is subjective to where they are laying there eggs. They get locked in longer if they aren't laying in the coop. I would prefer in the nest boxes but it's a compromise I can live with. Someday we might get automated.
Where do live that the sun comes up at 4 am and down at 10 pm
North Idaho
Will there be a manual override in case you need to keep the chickens in after daybreak? (For moving or other handling where it would be more convenient or make the task easier by having them confined a bit longer.)
I'm guessing that you can physically cover the light sensor the night before so that it doesn't open in the morning.
I'll address this in the next video
I will be just getting up and starting my day early chicken farm time lol
The problem in the north in the summer is that if you stay up until 10 to do your last chores (close the coop), then say get to bed by 11, then get up at 3:30 to open that door by 4 am with sunrise, you would never get enough sleep. Automation helps...
I love your show and / but, part of the joy of farming, is being there. Seeing the animals, knowing them, being awake. (I vote you or Little Buddy be in charge, not automation.)
My flock tend to hang around outside the coop well into dusk, can you set a delay on this?
yes, the photosensor is adjustable
I am building a similar door and I want to power it with the same solar/battery set up that will power a fence around the chickens like you have. Can you share what solar panel/charger you use that powers both the door and the fence?
I use an AC charger and swap batteries out. A solar charger would be great but I was trying to keep expenses down
Thanks!
What are you doing about the birds left outside
I'll address this in the next video
I guess, my main question would be how it works on stormy days that aren't so bright...
I'll address this in the next video
links to the parts, how to put it together etc.?
Charlie is doing a blog post on it next week with all the detail. ion-foundry.com
Subscribe to his email list and you'll get notified when it posts
IOT-Foundry.com not the above auto correct link
IOT-FOUNDRY.COM all I find is AT&T. Could you please add a link.
iot-foundry.com
Charlei's site was hacked and is now not functional and cancelled by the provider. How can we contact Charlie for the arduino code?
charliefairchild at gmail dot com
do you give vaccinations to the chicks for Newcastle, Marek disease, IBD, fowl pox, coccidiosis?? Regards :)
we don't do any vaccinations
Can I just buy that rig from you?
;)
Kule!
my first guess already was "arduino":-)
yes!