[Fisherman]

As the nights are drawing in I was pondering about a potential problem with an automatic pop hole opener. I leave home at 6.30 AM in the morning and only get back at 6.30 PM so how would I know that the pop hole had opened during the dark days if a fault occurred i.e. flat battery, short circuit? I will obviously check the chickens at night but that wouldn't necessarily tell me I had an issue unless they were crowing for food and water. I use a treadle feeder so it would be difficult to tell if the chickens had been out by the amount of food they had consumed during the day. I am thinking of putting some sort of indicator on the door that I have to re-set each night that will confirm the door has opened. Any other ideas anyone?

Dark days 

[ehs284]

A great question. To avoid problems with weather, power failure etc I'd suggest something simple and mechanical. A lot depends on your actual system and layout, but, assuming that your door rises in slides, I'd suggest this:
Put a small peg sticking out from the door.
On the door post loosely screw a wooden arm only just long enough to be pushed up by the peg. The screw should be at the mid point of the arm. The position of the pivot should be so that the arm is slightly down onto the peg when the door is closed. When the door rises the peg pushes the wooden arm up and then moves on.
On top of the wood fix a tube containing some oil/alcohol (not water; it will freeze). There should be a good sized air bubble in the tube. Maybe a cheap level would work. The weight of the liquid in the tube will keep the arm down. As the peg pushes up the arm, the liquid would go to the outer (lower) end of the tube and the bubble goes to the top. The arm is now up, clear of the door peg and stable. When the door closes the peg will miss the arm. When you get home the arm will be up to show the door has opened. Tip the arm back down and it will become stable again resting on the peg.
It will need some protection from severe weather like freezing rain, but should work for you.
HTH

[ehs284]

a ball bearing in a tube would do just as well.