I am totally new to the arduino community and don't really know much yet. I am a software guy without much experience programming hardware. Arduino seemed like a great place start...
The problem:
RATS!
Background:
I just put in a night-vision IP camera in my dad's chicken coop to gauge the rat problem. I knew they were there, just not how bad. Here a short video capturing one of the many buggers:
The project:
I would like to create a feed cover that I would simply trigger remotely (from my house over the internet as I live in a different part of town) to cover the feeder. All that is needed is to drop a standard sized garbage can over the feeder. It is a perfect fit. That will foil those dang rats! The garbage can would simply need to be pulled up 2 feet (for chickens to feed during the day), and dropped back down at night. The chicken coop has a network connection (that's how the IP camera is working).
Could someone offer some suggestions on what might be required to get going cheaply? I am a total NOOOOOB!!!!
Most people just close the door to the chicken coop at night. The chickens won't go out anyway.
Of course, the rest of the coop must be rat proof.
You'll find lots of examples on this forum.
Unfortuantely closing a coop door will not have any affect on the rats. Rats are amazing at finding ways into restricted spaces when food is their motivator. You might be able to rat-proof a coop for 2 days (at great expense), but they will chew a hole through the floor boards in some little hidden corner and you are back to square one. Simply removing access to their food supply is the best way to get rid of them.
Unfortuantely closing a coop door will not have any affect on the rats.
I have managed to outsmart rats, and make a chicken coop rat-proof. I'll bet you can too.
If you don't close the door, you may end up having your chickens eaten too.
Do your chickens get WiFi or are you going to run an Ethernet cable out to them? You could also use a GSM-based text message system but it may be difficult to find a cellphone provider with an appropriate payment plan for 2 text messages per day at a reasonable cost.
Personally, I would make it autonomous.
Ldr light sensor outside.
Dark, lid covers food.
Light lid lifts up.
Have the lid lowered and raised by a motor.
Like a crane.
Perhaps consider something to check if a chicken is feeding when the lid falls though.
Last thing you want to do is kill a chicken by dropping a bin lid on it while it feeds.
One way to do it would be to use a geared 12 volt motor (see ebay)mounted on the ceiling. This would wind in and out a length of strong string connected to the inverted bin. The string would not attach at a single point (the middle of the base) on the bin as it would be difficult to keep it from tilting. Think more like the web of ropes on an inverted parachute.
You could use a longish shaft or pulley on the motor to wind in the string. The shaft will give more torque but would need guides to keep the string from winding off the end. Some suitable motors are listed here: https://www.sparkfun.com/search/results?term=Standard+Gearmotor
with shafts, couplings, mounts, etc on the same site, but look around on the web.
You would control the motor using what is called an "H-bridge" which basically controls the current and direction to the motor. This allows to to control speed and direction of the motor. The H-bridge is connected to the arduino which controls its operation. A good chip to use is the L298N with boards available cheaply on ebay. e.g. (Dual H Bridge DC Stepper Motor Drive Controller Board Module L298N For Arduino | eBay)
I would approach two things differently. First, as already stated, make it automatic by using a photo sensor outside to detect day vs night. Mechanically wouldn't there be a slight advantage to lifting the feeder into the cover rather than lowering the cover over the feeder? You would be pulling it up, away from any chickens that might be feeding rather than lowering something down on them, plus it's higher off the floor to further discourage the rats. I would do it using an inexpensive linear actuator/pully assembly. Then all you need is an arduino board, a relay module, and a photo sensor.
Thank you all for your suggestions, especially lemming. Much appreciated! I need to go through a few tutorials and learn some basic electronics before I can build something useful. Fun times ahead!!!
Cheers,
Marcus
lemming:
One way to do it would be to use a geared 12 volt motor (see ebay)mounted on the ceiling. This would wind in and out a length of strong string connected to the inverted bin. The string would not attach at a single point (the middle of the base) on the bin as it would be difficult to keep it from tilting. Think more like the web of ropes on an inverted parachute.
You could use a longish shaft or pulley on the motor to wind in the string. The shaft will give more torque but would need guides to keep the string from winding off the end. Some suitable motors are listed here: Search Results for Standard Gearmotor - SparkFun Electronics
with shafts, couplings, mounts, etc on the same site, but look around on the web.
You would control the motor using what is called an "H-bridge" which basically controls the current and direction to the motor. This allows to to control speed and direction of the motor. The H-bridge is connected to the arduino which controls its operation. A good chip to use is the L298N with boards available cheaply on ebay. e.g. (Dual H Bridge DC Stepper Motor Drive Controller Board Module L298N For Arduino | eBay)
