It can be overwhelming to try to figure out the best automatic chicken coop door for you and your flock, but it doesn’t have to be! I’ve taken the guesswork out of it by doing the research for you.
Having the right coop door can make a world of difference in terms of convenience, safety, and overall well-being of your chickens. They are worth every single penny and make travel a breeze!
In this blog post, we’ll identify the smartest and best-fitting solution for your coop by sorting through the different sizes, colors, power options, and other unique features together. Let’s dive in!
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products (including Amazon). I’ll earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you! Regardless, I only link to products that I personally use on our homestead or believe in.
Key Features of the Best Automatic Chicken Coop Doors
Automatic chicken coop doors come in a wide variety of options as far as size, style, features, and price are concerned. Let’s chat about the key features that I look for when shopping for the best automatic chicken coop doors on the market.
Orientation
The orientation in which the door operates is the first and most important thing to consider. A certain model may have all of the features that you’re looking for, but if the door opens vertically and you only have horizontal space, it’s just not going to work.
Vertical
Automatic chicken coop doors that open vertically are the most common on the market, so if you have vertical space, then you’re in luck!
*Vertical doors have a slight advantage in that there are no horizontal tracks for rocks or debris to get stuck in.
Horizontal
Sometimes you may not have any vertical space, especially if you have a small coop, decorations, or a low roof line. Thankfully, there are a few chicken doors in this review that will work for you, which we’ll review later on in this article.
Size
It’s important to consider bird size when deciding on the best automatic chicken coop door for your coop, especially if you have some large flock members!
Standard
Most automatic chicken coop doors on the market offer a pop-hole size of roughly 8” x 10.” If you only have hens, then this is perfect!
Roosters are a bit larger, so be mindful if you have a roo in your crew. However, I have several roosters and they have fit through the standard popholes just fine.
XL
If you have a mixed flock or large flock members, be sure to look into XL-sized doors like this one from ChickenGuard! It offers a roomy 10.5” x 11.5” pophole, but it’s still likely not big enough for very large fowl like turkeys.
Safety
Some of the early models of automatic chicken coop doors did not include any safety features, and I’ve heard horror stories about chickens getting stuck in the door when it’s shutting – eep!
Thankfully, most of the brands out there have since rectified this situation and offer a safety feature to bounce the door back open if a chicken is there. All 5 that I am recommending here have safety features so you don’t have to worry about that catastrophe happening to you.
Power
In order for the automatic chicken coop door to work, we need some sort of power! There are 3 different options out there to meet your needs: plug-in, battery, and solar. Let’s break them down!
Plug-in
Don’t want to worry about replacing batteries every 6 months? Then, definitely check out the plug-in options! You’ll just need to make sure that you have a power source in the coop or string an extension cord out there.
Keep in mind that the plug-in option will naturally require some cords, so if your coop door is installed on a wall that moves (like a door that humans use as pictured below), this might not be the best choice.
Battery
Most automatic chicken coop doors out there feature a battery option. This makes it a much more versatile and slim option!
- Don’t have power in the coop? Choose battery!
- Need a small space solution without added cords or solar panels? No problem!
- Don’t have direct sunlight? This is a great choice!
Just be prepared to swap out the batteries every 6 months or so. Thankfully, most models will alert you when the batteries are running low so you can catch it in time.
Solar
If you’re living off-grid, or if your coop is too far from the house to run power out there, definitely check out a solar-powered automatic chicken coop door! Heck, if you live in town, solar is neat, too!
For this to work, though, you’ll need reliable sunlight exposure. If you live in a heavily wooded lot or have a covered run, this may not be a great option for you.
Temperature
Living in Minnesota, freezing temperatures are certainly something that I have to strongly consider when looking into products. I’d hate to have the door stop working when the temps plummet mid-winter.
Some products are rated to -20F whereas others are only rated to 0F. If you live in a cold climate like me, definitely don’t overlook this part!
Settings
There’s no sense in buying a coop door if it doesn’t offer what settings you need for your flock. Thankfully, all 5 of the best automatic chicken coop doors that I’ve selected below offer these 2 settings, but let’s go through what they mean.
Time Mode
Time mode means that you can manually set what time the automatic chicken coop door opens in the morning and closes at night.
I personally like the control this offers, but this only works if you continually adjust the times throughout the year as the daylight hours change.
You don’t want to have the coop door still set to close at 5 pm when it’s light until 9 pm in the summertime, otherwise, your flock will be locked outside. No good!
Light Mode
Light mode is a really neat option! This works using a built-in light sensor. You can set “how light” it is outside when the coop door opens and closes.
You’ll want to play with the settings some because your light settings will be quite different based on whether you have a covered run or not. Cloudy days vs. sunny days will provide different results as well.
Color
Let’s be honest, color does matter! You’ve probably spent some time picking out the perfect paint colors for your coop, so you want an automatic chicken coop door that coordinates and adds that finishing touch!
There are some fun colors out there, but not always. Be sure to check out the chart below to find the color you’re looking for!
5 Best Automatic Chicken Coop Doors in 2024
Product | Rating | Features | Purchase |
Get 5% OFF when you shop through my link! | Best Overall |
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Off-Grid |
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Extra Features |
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XL Size |
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Budget Pick |
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#1: Chickcozy Door (Best Overall) – 5% OFF!
The Chickcozy Automatic Chicken Coop Door really checks all the boxes for me and is what I currently use in our new chicken coop. Not only is it super cute and one of the best-rated doors as far as safety and cold temperatures go (-20F!), but it was the perfect size for my unique space.
The safety sensor is amazing – it works just like elevator doors when they close. When the doors are opened, the unit is sized at 16.7″ W x 13.0″ H. An added bonus is my 5% off coupon will automatically apply when you shop through my affiliate link. A win-win!
Pros:
- Offers a fairly large pop hole at 8.15″ x 10.4″
- Can choose between a battery or plug-in for power
- Easy to use digital screen with big buttons
- Low battery alert when below 20%
- Batteries included
- Nearly silent when opening and closing.
- 730-day warranty
- Rated down to -20F (we’ll see how it does when it hits -30F here in Minnesota!)
- Features a safety sensor
Cons:
- Rocks or debris can get wedged in the bottom track, so keep an eye on it! Also, consider installing the door 2″ above the chicken bedding.
Watch me install my Chick Cozy coop door !
#2: Run Chicken Door (Off-Grid)
The Runchicken Automatic Chicken Coop Door is a very close second in my book! It opens vertically, has a slim design, and the thing that really makes it stand out is that it is powered by solar – so neat! When the door is opened, the unit is sized at 9.4″ W x 24.3″ H.
If you have a covered run, make sure that you have a place with direct sunlight where you can mount the solar panel. The cord is 6 feet long! Like this design, but don’t want solar? No problem – they make a battery-operated one, too!
Pros:
- Rated down to -15F (Not quite as good as the Chickcozy door, but still pretty good)
- Powered by solar (batteries need to be replaced every 5 years)
- The only door that comes in 3 different colors!
- Lifelong technical support
- Features a safety sensor
Cons:
- Expensive
- Only a 1 year warranty
- The smallest pophole size at 7.9″ x 10″
#3: Omlet Autodoor (Extra Features)
This is a great door! The Omlet Autodoor was the first automatic chicken door that I owned but had to switch to the Chickcozy door with our new coop since I was limited on horizontal space.
Something unique the Omlet Autodoor offers is an optional coop light. It comes on before the door closes to encourage the chickens to come inside at sunset. If you’re worried about your chickens making it inside in time, this can provide peace of mind.
The unit is sized at 19.25″ W x 14.5″ H when the door is open or closed (not including the external control box).
Pros:
- It can attach to solid surfaces, fencing, or wire
- Can choose between a battery or plug-in for power
- Displays battery life
- Can add an optional coop light to encourage chickens inside at night (reduces battery life to 4 months)
- 2-year warranty
- Attaches directly to the Eglu Cube (a big positive if that’s the coop you have)
- Features a safety sensor
Cons:
- Can be noisy when opening and closing
- The control box is separate, requiring mounting (and added cords) – but can be a pro if you want to access the control panel from outside the coop/run
- Requires a wide horizontal space
- Batteries not included
- Only works down to -4F (but it still worked fine at -20F when I used it last winter!)
#4: ChickenGuard Door (XL Size)
The ChickenGuard automatic chicken coop door is the largest one on the market, so if you have large flock members, this might be a great fit for you! The unit is sized at 12.5″ W x 27.5″ H when the door is open or closed (not including the external control box).
Another unique thing that I like about this door is that it features a “door closed” security light that you can see from the house to be sure that your flock is locked in at night before you go to bed. Great peace of mind!
Pros:
- Largest pophole size at 10.5″ W x 11.5″ H
- Can choose betweena battery or plug-in for power
- It has a “door closed” security light that you can spot from a distance
- Batteries included
- Full 3-year warranty
- Features a safety sensor
Cons:
- The control box is separate, requiring mounting (and added cords) – but can be a pro if you want to access the control panel from outside the coop/run
- Only works down to -4F
- Expensive
- No color options
#5: MATICOOPX (Budget Pick)
While most automatic chicken coop doors are an investment ($150+), this MATICOOPX door is a good deal coming in at $89.99 at the time of this publication. The unit is sized at 9.5″ W x 24.5″ H when the door is open.
This door also features a “door closed” security light that you can see from the comfort of your home to make sure everyone is locked up safely. Great peace of mind!
Pros:
- Large LCD screen with big buttons
- It has a “door closed” security light that you can spot from a distance (flashes every 60 seconds)
- Inexpensive
- Features a safety sensor
Cons:
- Only works down to 0F (the least cold-weather tolerant of all 5 models)
- No batteries included
- Seems to stop working after a few weeks
- Battery housing is not completely waterproof
- No plug-in option (battery only)
Other Chicken Articles You’ll Love:
- Inside a Chicken Coop: 5 Required Items (and 3 to AVOID!)
- Ultimate Guide to Chicken Coop Flooring
- The 5 BEST Chicken Bedding Options
- Ultimate Guide to Chicken Nesting Box Size
Final Thoughts
By now, you should have a good idea of which one is the best automatic chicken coop door for you and your flock.
Having one of these is a game-changer! It’s not just about saving time and effort; it’s about providing a secure environment as well. You won’t regret it!
Are you a first-time chicken keeper? Or maybe you don’t even have chickens yet? Definitely check out my ultimate resource: How to Care for Chickens: A Beginners Guide.
*Information in this article was referenced from personal experience and/or from my favorite chicken books The Chicken Health Handbook & Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens unless otherwise noted.
The Homesteading RD's Product Picks Over the years, I've found that the chicken health sections in the 2 books above are just not thorough enough. This chicken health handbook is a great resource to have for whatever health issues come your way. This is my go-to chicken book! Full of practical advice. It covers everything you need to know from coop design, chicken health and incubating eggs. 
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I recently purchased the Chickcozy door through your link based on your recommendation. I cannot get it to work for me. I’ve tried emailing them for help, and calling and I’m getting no response. They have a pop up window in their site that looks like a chat but all it does is track your package. Do you have any advice on how to get some response from them? I’m going to have to remove the door today from coop as it opens up in the middle of the night.
Oh no! That shouldn’t be happening. I’m so sorry you’re having trouble. I’ll reach out to my direct contact at ChickCozy and give them your email to get connected. Hang tight!