Nestera Automatic Door Opener Review: A Chicken Coop Upgrade

Nestera Automatic Door Opener Review

If you’re looking for a simple, reliable way to automate your chicken coop routine, I think the Nestera automatic door opener is worth a serious look. Designed to work with vertical sliding coop doors, wooden and plastic, it opens and closes automatically based on your schedule or light levels.

The opener doesn’t come with a door, instead, it attaches to your existing one. This means there’s no need to worry about a new door fitting properly. You’re simply adding a mechanism to automate what you already have. While this opener doesn’t have an app control, Nestera does make a smart automatic coop door, as does Omlet.

Here’s how I think it could benefit UK chicken keepers.

Easy setup with everything included

Nestera ships the chicken coop door opener with everything you need: all the fixings, a straightforward instruction manual, and you even get four AA batteries. The buttons are large and clearly marked, making it easy to programme even if you’re wearing gloves, which can be a welcome bonus in cold weather.

If you’re not a great DIYer, you’ll be pleased to know that on Nestera coops, the holes are pre-drilled and the opener fits straight into place. If you’re adding it to a wooden coop, you’ll just need a level mounting surface and a bit of time. It’s worth checking whether your existing door still has its manual cord attached, as this will need to be removed before fitting the unit.

You can see how easy it is to fit from the video below:

Time and light-based programming

You can programme the Nestera automatic door opener using one of two modes:

• Timer mode, where you set specific opening and closing times
• Light mode, which uses ambient light levels to trigger the door

Different keepers have different preferences. Some prefer the timer, especially in summer when the hens are often in bed well before sunset. Others, like me, prefer the light-based option, which accommodates the shifting daylight timings that hens naturally wake up and go to sleep to. Having both options built in means you can switch between them depending on the season and your hens’ habits.

Size and fit

This opener is designed for vertical sliding doors and can lift up to 1.5 kg. That makes it well suited to Nestera’s lightweight plastic panels as well as most plywood doors. The cord is strong, the mechanism is smooth, and as long as the runners are straight and not too tight, operation is consistent.

If your coop has a hinged or side-opening door, this won’t be the right solution. However, for any vertical slider, it’s a very practical option.

Materials and construction

The unit is housed in a weatherproof plastic casing that protects the internal electronics from wind and rain. It’s solid without being bulky and has a clear, easy-to-read screen. The finish is neat, and the unit feels well put together overall.

Cleaning access

Once installed, the Nestera chicken coop door opener doesn’t get in the way of your normal cleaning routine. The cord sits outside the coop, and there are no moving parts inside the housing. It’s a case of giving it a wipe down when needed.

Power and reliability

The Nestera automatic door opener runs on four AA batteries, which are included in the box. There’s no mains power option, but the batteries should last for several months under normal use. The screen displays a low-battery warning when it’s time to replace them, so you won’t be caught out unexpectedly.

In terms of day-to-day use, it does what you’d hope: opens in the morning, closes at night, and keeps doing it without a fuss.

General feedback from other buyers

Buyers generally see the Nestera automatic door as reliable, easy to fit and simple to operate. It gets strong marks for consistency and ease of use. A few mentioned needing to adjust the door runners slightly or remove the original manual cord, but these were minor setup steps rather than long-term issues.

Keepers like that it works straight out of the box with no ongoing maintenance and no need to fiddle with apps or settings. For those who prefer set-and-forget functionality, it fits the bill well.

Final thoughts

To summarise this Nestera automatic door operer review, it’s a straightforward, dependable option for anyone with a vertically sliding coop door. It’s it’s well built, easy to install and works exactly as you’d expect. For keepers who value a few extra hours in bed or the reassurance of a shut door when they’re not home, it delivers exactly what’s needed.

If you’ve got a Nestera house or a wooden coop with a vertical door, this is a sensible and hassle-free solution. For me, that’s what a good automatic door should be all about.

For more information, visit Nestera’s Automatic Chicken Coop Door Opener page.

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