Chuxaway automatic door

I wish you luck Redbarn! What a brilliant idea putting a little step to make it more difficult to open. Although probably if the fox was very determined it could still manage to open it.
 
I'm a bit late catching up with this thread, but in case anyone finds it in the future, I thought I'd share my experience.
I've had a VSB since I first started keeping hens, as I used to leave home before dawn in the winter & get home after dark. In that time my VSB has had to be sent back for repair twice. It's one thing if the batteries just go flat (though there's no way of telling), but I was upset when the unit failed & the girls were shut in. If I'd been away for the weekend with no-one to look in on them, they'd have died of dehydration.

If I were buying another door opener I'd again opt for one with a light sensor, but a model with a four year warranty sounds more reliable. Never depend on the door opener 100%; do be sure to check on it. It just saves you from getting up do early.
 
I opted for an automatic door opener too, but it started to fail after a few weeks use. At the time I wasn't in a mindset to send it back, etc., so I now leave it open permanently. It works fine as the chickens get up when they want and go to bed when they want. I'm sure it does help greatly with ventilation, although they have a very large henhouse to roost in. I check the perimeter of the chicken run daily to make sure all is secure and nothing has been trying to dig or chew it....so far so good, but winter is coming!
 
Shitzu said:
I've had better luck with the Cheeper automated door

You can learn more about the product here: https://barncoop.com/cheeper-keeper-automatic-chicken-coop-door-opener/
Click to expand...

This might be a daft question, but how long do the quality type batteries last? Do you worry the batteries get low and the door won't open, when you happen to be out and about, eg when it's dark at 4.30pm in winter months?

I do like the idea of this door, as I currently leave the coop door open all night, so it would be much better to have it closed and open itself in the morning.
 
If the hens are safe at night with the door open you had much better keep it that way. Better ventilation and they can come and go as they please - no worries for you or them.
 
Thanks, Marigold. I just looked at the cost and they are expensive for the full kit with door. :shock: The girls seem OK as they are, I was only thinking it might be cosier with the door closed, but guess that as they all seem OK, I won't bother. :D
 
They don't want it cosier, they have really good insulation and can snuggle together in a dry windproof coop. If they go in to a closed coop with damp feathers there will be a lot of water vapour and condensation that will spread any viral or bronchial infection around the flock like in a doctor's waiting room. If the temperature inside the coop is cosier than outside they'll feel the difference when they emerge in the morning - like you would if you went outside without your coat on a cold day.
Just point the pophole away from prevailing SW winds if possible - perhaps towards a northerly side of the run that has tarpaulin or willow screening fixed as a windbreak along that side. Then no direct gales or rain will blow inside but air will flow freely and the birds can choose when to get up. No worries for you either!
Of course you have to be confident that the run is fox proof - but this applies equally in the daytime as well.
 
Appreciate this is 5 years on but if anyone stumbled across these reviews whilst looking into the Chuxaway opener, I thought it might help to hear my experience.
This piece of kit has really let me down and has not kept pace with others that have since come to market. It's not changed in at least 6 years and is the only one that fails to deal with outdoor elements and should be avoided. I have had two fail on me (they were housed under the roof of the house) and the last was less than a year old. Refusing to replace or repair under warranty, it's telling that none of the reputable chicken house stockists sell this, instead leaving them to sell direct and through Facebook.
Spend a little extra first time round on a professional unit from a reputable reseller and you will save money.
If you are on a tight budget, then I would take a look at the following which comes housed in a waterproof unit, currently just under £90:

https://www.chickencoopsdirect.com/automatic-chicken-door-opener

Other alternatives worth looking at.

My Chicken Door Automatic (£99)
https://www.theincubatorshop.co.uk/products/details/my-chicken-door-automatic-hen-house-door.html

Chicken Guard Automatic (£115)
https://www.theincubatorshop.co.uk/products/details/chicken-guard-automatic-door-opener-standard.html

If you don't mind an automatic opener that only reacts to light:
Brinsea Chicksafe (£79.95)
https://www.theincubatorshop.co.uk/products/details/brinsea-chicksafe-eco-automatic-door-opener.html

If you want to go deluxe with the option of having an automated opener and door that can run off the mains and allows you to dock the control unit further away from the coop then the omlet door is expensive at £170 but looks fantastic:
https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/automatic_chicken_coop_door_opener/?gkeyword=automatic%20chicken%20door&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-aGCBhCwARIsAHDl5x9oIODYNVYnFw-db8EUlehpc2DcG0CNihD-IKxVnEZCYiuzHdHF-7gaAlM-EALw_wcB
 
Thanks for the update, GardenRooster. That'll be handy for anyone looking for a new door opener / closer.

My experience during the recent really cold snap a few weeks ago was that the batteries in my VSB stopped working while it was bitterly cold, so the door to the coop stayed open for several days. The girls all huddled closer together & were fine. When the weather warmed up a few degrees the batteries started working again. I guess that any battery operated device will be the same in very low temperatures, unless the battery container is located next to the girls' favourite perch & gets kept warm by them! A thought for future developers perhaps?
 
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