Need a CHEAP/Inexpensive automatic coop door for 5 chickens

[jimmywalt]

My wife wanted some baby chickens back in March so we ended up getting 5. That lead me to wasting about $300 building a 4x4x4 coop which is now in our back yard……. I thought this was going to be an inexpensive venture. Needless to say it hasn’t been (including food, water dishes, etc).

I’m tired of going out to open the coop door each day and then closing it at night after I waste 15 minutes outside trying to get the chickens back into the coop. It’s getting old really fast!

I’ve read a boat load of threads here about automatic chicken coop door openers/closers but all are well over $100 bucks!

I need something INEXPENSIVE (i.e $50 or less) that I can hook to a timer to open/close the door which slides horizontally.

I’ve thought about an electric car antenna that I saw here and on youtube, but I have no idea how to hook up something like that.

I also wondered if my sons little battery controlled remote car motor would do the trick? It’s wireless and has a button to push to make it go forward or back, so why couldn’t something like this (ripped out of a remote control car) work for the door?

Anyone have any detailed plans or links they could share for a CHEAP AS HECK door that I could hook to a timer that would do the trick?

Thank you!

 

[jimmywalt]

Here are some pictures of my coop if that helps.

 

[MoonShadows]

You definitely won't be able to buy an automatic door for $50. Even new parts to make one yourself will cost more than $50. You might want to try Craig's List for used parts that you need. As far as your son's remote control car motor, I guess you won't know unless you try it.