Is The Run-Chicken Automatic Chicken Coop Door Worth Getting ?
The Run-Chicken automatic chicken coop door is a game-changer when it comes to additions to your chicken coop. While not necessary, it does provide the added luxury of not having to open and close the coop door every morning and evening, giving you time to sleep in and get other things done throughout the day.
In this article, we will go over what is included with the Run-Chicken automatic door, how to install it and set it up, and the benefits and cons of adding this door to your chicken coop! With that being said, let’s dive in!
We want to clarify that this is not a paid or sponsored post. We were not gifted or compensated for this review. This is our honest opinion after having purchased the Run-Chicken automatic door and testing it out ourselves. However, this article does include affiliate links, where if you click one we may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you! Thank you for your support!
Pros & Cons Of The Run-Chicken Automatic Chicken Coop Door
When we first started converting our old tool shed into a chicken coop, we did not have the extra funds to purchase the Run-Chicken automatic door. Instead, we built a DIY chicken coop door using materials we already had for the tool shed flip project. Once we had the extra funds, we finally bought the Run-Chicken automatic door.
For us, the Run-Chicken Automatic Door was absolutely worth investing in! It gives us the freedom in the morning to know our chickens will be let out into their run at the crack of dawn and we can sleep in a bit or get ready for work without rushing outside to let the chickens out. It also gives us a piece of mind when we are away for a night or two knowing our chickens can still have access to their run without us having to ask our neighbours to let them out and bring them in every day for us.
The convenience, the time we save and the reassurance that it will open and close every time make the Run-Chicken a must-have addition to our chicken coop and we highly recommend it to all our friends and family who have chickens.
After having an automatic and manual chicken coop door for the last year, here is our list of pros and cons of the run-chicken door. Hopefully, this helps you to decide if it is the right fit for your chicken coop!
Pros & Cons Of The Run-Chicken Automatic Door
How To Install The Run-Chicken Automatic Chicken Coop Door
When you receive your Run-Chicken automatic door, it will come with the six screws needed to install the door onto your chicken coop. It will also come with an introduction booklet that tells you how to install the door and how to download the Run-Chicken app.
As you can see in the photo above, there are a few important things to note when installing the automatic door:
- Do not use power tools. Use hand tools to carefully tighten the screws.
- Make sure it is not placed directly at a heat sensor or IRL camera as this can interfere with the door sensor.
- The screw head should stick out roughly 1/32″ away from the frame of the automatic door.
- If the blue light begins to blink, this means the door will start to open or close soon.
The installation is rather simple if your coop has a flush exterior wall.
Here’s what you will need:
- Cross screwdriver
- Leveler
- Pencil
- Jig Saw or keyhole saw
To install the door:
- Mark the location of the door opening onto the coop exterior wall.
- Drill in the four marked corners, then tighten the screws gently into the frame leaving roughly 1/32″ of the screw head away from the frame.
- Remove the drive unit by unscrewing the four screws to access where the batteries are located.
- If not already in place, add batteries and put the guard back on.
- Test the door by pressing the black button to make sure it runs smoothly.
- Download and configure the app to your Run-Chicken door to control the settings via your phone.
For us, since we attached ours to our shed-turned-chicken-coop, we had siding to work around. If you are in a similar situation to us, here’s how you go about installing the door around a chicken coop with siding.
To start, we first removed the manual door that we previously made. We planned to reuse the wood pieces on either side, but we did remove them to shorten their height to fit the new automatic door and to screw the door onto the wood before attaching it to the chicken coop.
After the previous door and wood were removed, we trimmed down the wood to pieces to match the length of the Run-Chicken automatic door. We also added a piece of wood at the top to connect the two side pieces and create a frame for the new door. This also helped to make sure there were no gaps to keep it predator-proof.
After the new frame was built, we used the six screws that came with the Run-Chicken automatic door to attach it to the wooden frame (as seen below).
Now that the Run-Chicken automatic door was attached to the wooden frame, it was time to install the frame to our chicken coop. Using 2 ½ screws in #8’s, we drilled the wooden frame to the side of our coop and tested out the door to make sure it would open and close properly.
How Does The Run-Chicken Automatic Chicken Coop Door Work?
The Run-Chicken automatic chicken coop door is operated by passive indirect sunlight. The batteries will help to store solar energy for a few months to ensure the door works on dates with limited light exposure.
The automatic door has an indicator light. When the light is:
- Green: When the indicator light is green, it means the door is opening.
- Red: When the indicator light is red, it means the door is closing.
- Blinking Blue: A blinking blue light means that the door is in preparation mode, which means that the door recognizes the change of daylight to nightfall and will soon open or close.
- Blinking Red: A red blinking light means the batteries are almost empty. If the light is blinking red directly after installation, this indicates that the door is not installed correctly.
