The title for today’s article was taken from the words uttered as we finished installing the Omelet automatic chicken door to our new coop this past spring.
As we watched it slide open for the first time, I turned to Mary and simply said: “This is the greatest chicken coop invention ever!”
Okay, so maybe I was a bit overly excited, but one thing is for sure, it has certainly been a game changer in taking care of our chickens. More importantly, it has kept them safe and secure without our constant worrying if we shut their door at night!
The Closing Of The Chicken Door
With raccoon, fox, mink and other predators around, we have always had to close up our chicken coop each night. And of course, that means letting them out every morning as well.
Whenever human beings are involved, there is of course, always a chance for mistakes to be made. Like, did we or did we not secure the chicken door?
A Look At The Automatic Chicken Door In Action…
I can’t tell you how many times we have woken up over the years at 2 a.m. to ask the other if they had shut the chicken door. And, of course, nothing will make you mutter things under your breath more than a 2 a.m. walk to the coop to check.
I can speak personally on that topic, as can Mary! But that has all gloriously changed now with what I still refer to as the greatest chicken coop invention ever.
Creating A Safe, Secure, Low-Maintenance Chicken Coop
When we built our latest coop at the farm this past spring, we really wanted to make it safe, secure, and user-friendly. (See: The Farm’s New Coop)
That meant installing a concrete floor to keep mice and vermin out. And making a homemade watering and feeding system to keep their food and water clean, and at the ready.
But I have to say, as wonderful as those all are, it is the automatic chicken door we love the most!
The Automatic Chicken Door
We have talked for years about putting an automatic door on our coop. But honestly, the designs and reviews always scared us away. As did the need for most to have electric run to the coop.
So when we first heard about the Omlet automatic chicken door, we were both a bit skeptical. First and foremost, at around $190, it was one of the most inexpensive of all automatic doors on the market. And sometimes, that can be a red flag all by itself.
But the more we read, and the more we researched – we decided to take the plunge to see how it worked. And to say it has been a pleasant surprise would be the understatement of the year.
Installing The Omlet Automatic Chicken Door
We have had our Omlet door installed now for a little over two months, and it has worked flawlessly. And the universal design makes it easy to install. In fact, it took us all of about 20 minutes to have ours up and running.
Although it can be set to open or close at any time, we use the dusk to dawn automatic setting for our chicken coop door.
It automatically opens 20 minutes after dawn, and closes 20 minutes after dark. And as anyone who raises chickens knows, they have already come in to roost for the night!
It even has a built in safety feature in case a chicken is in the doorway to re-open and then re-close. Best of all, it runs on just (4) AA batteries, making it great for those who might not have electric to their coop.
Even the chickens have figured it out and seem to like it. If you happen to be out early in the morning, you can see them lining up inside waiting for the door to open! One thing is for sure, at least there are no more 2 am trips to the coop for use.
As for the battery life, after two months of use so far, the batteries are still at 90% life. So it will be interesting to see just how long they last. For more on the Omlet door, you can check out information on their website at: The Omlet Auto Chicken Door
Here is to happy, healthy chickens – and to keeping them safe every night with an automatic chicken door! Happy Chicken Farming – Jim and Mary
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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