Chickcozy Solar Automatic Chicken Coop Door Review

Chickcozy Solar Automatic Chicken Coop Door Review

The Chickcozy Solar Automatic Chicken Coop Door makes life easier for keepers by opening at dawn and closing at dusk without batteries or wiring. Chickcozy kindly sent me a door to test, and while they asked me to write about it, this review is my honest assessment. I’ll share what I liked, what I thought could be improved, and whether I think it’s a good fit for UK chicken keepers.

Design and build quality

The first thing that stands out about the door is the bright orange colour. Whether you like this or not is obviously a matter of personal taste. It’s a happy colour, so I rather liked it and it seems to suit most wooden coops. If you have a plastic coop with a clashing colour, you may not like the contrast. However, if you’re unsure, check out the user images on the door’s product page – they are at the bottom.

One thing I particularly noticed was the design. Instead of the usual vertical guillotine style, this one opens from the centre outwards, like lift doors. I liked this straight away as it feels less prone to jamming, which can be a real problem if hens get locked in or out, or the door won’t shut at all.

The door is made from ASA plastic, which is tougher and more weather-resistant than most coop plastics. Chickcozy say it’s 220% thicker than similar models, and to me, it does feel strong and well-made. This makes it more resistant to predators and will increase longevity.

I think the self-locking mechanism is another big plus, as it makes it very difficult for predators to force open. For me, the trackless bottom design is clever too, as it means bedding and muck don’t get caught underneath.

Solar power and battery

What I really liked about this door is that it runs completely on solar power. There’s no need to connect it to mains power or regularly replace batteries, which I think is a real win for convenience and removes some of the pains of installing and using other automatic doors. The included solar panel charges a 3,200 mAh battery, and when I tested it, at the end of August, it held power in the cloudy British summer weather.

As I’ve only just received it, I cannot tell you how well the solar panel works during the shorter and greyer days of winter. Reading feedback from other users, it should be able to cope, but make sure the panel is fitted somewhere where it can get as much natural daylight as possible. I’ve seen some owners fit the panel on the roof of their coops. If you have outdoor lighting on during winter, this can also help charge up the powerpack. It would have been nice to see a backup option just in case.

Installation and setup

I would say installation is about as simple as it gets for an automatic coop door, especially if the pop hole in your coop has a suitably sized opening. The opening of the Chickcozy automatic door is 8.25″ × 10.4″ (21 cm x 26.5 cm approx). To install, simply fix the door with the screws that come in the box. The screw holes are already in the door, and there’s a pre-drilled plastic plate which attaches to the coop which the solar control box panel can slide on. This makes the control box detachable, which makes mounting much easier.

The cable length was fine for me, but I think in some setups it might be useful to have an extension option. There is the potential for this as the door cable and power unit cable join together with an interlock, so it would be easy to add a middle section. Overall, though, I thought the process was much quicker and easier than some other doors I’ve looked at.

Controls and usability

The menu system is simple, which I liked. Just two arrow buttons and an OK key, which makes it very easy to use. I always find the light sensor mode the most practical with automatic doors as it adjusts to natural daylight and means you don’t need to keep adjusting times with the seasons.

The sensitivity didn’t always line up perfectly with my hens’ routines. Sometimes it closed a little earlier than I’d have preferred. Still, manual override is quick to use, and the detachable panel meant I wasn’t always crouching down in the mud to make changes.

Real-world performance

It is still early days, but since installation, I’d say the door has done exactly what I wanted, opening and closing reliably and more or less at the right times.

One important feature that I really liked was the anti-pinch sensor, which gave me peace of mind that my hens wouldn’t get trapped in the door’s mechanism. Some hens have a habit of hanging around half-in, half-out of the pop hole, which makes them prone to getting caught out. This feature eradicates that issue. That said, make sure the door is cleaned regularly to ensure that the sensor works effectively.

New to automatic doors? Read our post, Automatic Chicken Coop Doors: Your Questions Answered.

Chickcozy Solar Automatic Chicken Coop Door Review – Key Takeaways

Pros:

• Fully solar-powered, no wiring or replacement batteries
• Quick, easy installation
• Sturdy ASA plastic with predator-proof lock
• Trackless design avoids jams from bedding
• Simple menu and detachable control box
• Safety sensor to protect hens

Cons:

• No backup power option
• Battery level not very clear
• Cable length could be longer in some setups

Flock suitability

The opening (8.25″ × 10.4″) seemed well sized to me for most hens. My hybrids went through it easily, and I think bantams and standard UK layers would have no trouble at all. Larger birds, like Orpingtons, should still manage, though I would say it might feel snug for an especially big cockerel. In my opinion, for the average backyard flock in the UK this door is a good fit and I didn’t see anything that would put me off using it across a mixed group.

Summary and verdict

To conclude this Chickcozy Solar Automatic Chicken Coop Door review, I’d say that the combination of solar convenience, predator-proofing, and easy installation makes it a very practical option. In summer, it charged well, even on cloudy days, but I’ve yet to see how it will fare through the darker winter months here in the UK. I think it should manage fine, though a backup battery option would give extra reassurance. Even so, I’d happily recommend it to most UK chicken keepers. It’s a door that saves time, keeps your flock safe, and gives real peace of mind. In terms of quality, I think it’s up there with the likes of the Omlet and Nestera automatic doors, with the added benefit that it is suitable for a wider range of coops.

If you wish to purchase or need more information about the Chickcozy Solar Automatic Chicken Coop Door, visit the Chickcozy website.

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