Pallet Coop

[famousgrouse]

Well. I finally finished my coop. It is built out of dimensional lumber/plywood and sided in recycled pallet wood. Dimensions are 4'x6'. I plan on having 4 hens and using a 10'x10 dog kennel for a run. They will free range part time as well.
I built internal nest boxes with external access. There is a 4 foot roost bar (Not installed in the pics) and a longer 5 foot bar as well. There is a poop shelf above the nest boxes. The floor was coated in "Jet Coat" from Lowes (It replaced Black Jack Rubr-Coat #57). I stole some ideas for the roof and windows from another build on this site. Coated the exterior (including roof) in 4 coats of Ace brand Spar-varnish to protect the coop from the elements.

*****I do not have plans.. I wish I did keep track of everything but I am the type that just starts building. I did follow the tutorial linked here https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/funky-chicken-coop But I left out the "funky" part of the build. I would Like to thank member "Atholcoop" for inspiration and ideas.

Thanks
Jeff

Here are some photos:

 

[chickensfinally]

Wow!!! That's beauteous!

 

[AkChris]

I love the rustic look of this. Just getting started on building my own coop and trying to decide what to side it with. I thought about reclaimed wood and I do have quite a few old pallets out in the wood shed. Might have to do something like this. Did you use stains to get such a variety in the colors or just manage to find pallets with different hues/woods?

 

[famousgrouse]

AKChris.. Thank you. I simply sourced different pallets from different locations. Just look around and you can find pallets virtually anywhere. Behind department stores, Drug stores (CVS, Walgreens) Tractor supply or any farm store. Some were oak, some where pine, and some appeared to be an other kind of hardwood. In the end I tried mixing up the lighter and darker colors. I cut the pallets apart with a sawzall and for the most part, left all the old nails in place. Gave the coop added character. Once I coated it with the spar-varnish, the colors really came out of the wood. I wont lie. This coop too me some time to build. Cutting the pallets apart, determining which pieces are usable, the trying to make the fit the best I could definitely took some time. I did not intend it to be perfect. I wanted a rustic look. It turned out better than I thought. Should hold up for a very long time as long as I coat it yearly or every two years with another coat of varnish. Spar Varnish is the best wood protector for outdoor use. Spar-Urethane is widely available but is not as good as the varnish. I have UV protectors and really seals the wood and brings out the colors. Same stuff that a lot of boat owners use to finish the topside wood parts of their boats.

Jeff

 

[adeleroy8]

WOW....love the coop!!

 

[famousgrouse]

Thank you!!!