Bought a $150 automatic chicken coop door and my hens refuse to use it

Spent big money on a fancy door with a light sensor so I wouldn't have to wake up early, but my girls just stand outside it clucking until I come out and manually open it. Anyone else's chickens reject perfectly good gadgets?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_kai4d ago

Oh man, I feel your pain. I tried a similar setup last year and my birds acted like it was a monster from another planet. Did you try propping it open for a few days so they can get used to walking through it before the sensor kicks in?

jason114d ago

My neighbor's dog did the same thing with this automatic door flap. Honestly @the_kai, I see that kind of reaction all the time with anything new - animals and people both get spooked by sudden changes. Tbh, propping it open for a few days is exactly the kind of slow introduction that actually works.