Depends what you value your time at, but I've had two ChickenGuard automatic door openers for years now, and they've worked perfectly: https://www.chickenguard.com/
I'm glad it works, but this is the exact product I thought he was trying to avoid buying. While a lot of thought and development probably went into chickenguard, it ain't cheap.
If they only lasted a year, I would have said they were a rip off. However, we've had ours 4-5 years now, I think? Only thing we've had to do is change the battery and I think twice untangle the cord that raises the door - probably because a chicken banged the door and caused a loop in the string.
I agree! But my comment was sarcasm/extension about his suggestion to reduce effort by buying a commercial door opener. Like damn, if you’re not going to make your own door opener with an Arduino, are you truly even committed to raising chickens?
Because there's simply no comparison in taste. Supermarket eggs taste like plastic in comparison to home-laid ones. Plus the hens recycle all your waste food into fresh eggs daily. What's not to like?
I’m sure! I am all about slow, organic and natural food. Here though my comment was meant to say that heck, if you’re going to cut corners and buy store-bought door closers, why not raise your own chickens at all!? I wasn’t entirely serious. The point of DIY is DIY, though, and this is HN.
