Pallet coops

[ShrekDawg]

Our new chicken coop is almost finished, just needs a few more things come spring, but I've been thinking of ducks and am trying to think of ideas. The chicken coop has cost a lot so far so I thought if I do get ducks, I don't wanna spend that much again after we literally just spent that much for the chicken coop, and it's definitely not the way to convince my family, so I thought....

Why not a pallet coop!?

Free and/or at least fairly cheap.

So I would like to see your pallet coops, for chickens or ducks, and ideas.

Also looking for ideas on how to do it.

I know some completely tear it apart and just rebuild with the wood? But others just use the whole pallets as the frame?

I think I've seen this one where they used pallets for the base of the coop, nailed plywood or something on top for the floor, and then used the pallets as a frame for the walls too with siding on top of it? Would that be a good option?

Obviously not entirely free but fairly secure?

But then again some people use entirely pallet wood and it's still very secure?

So I guess I want every idea and options for how to use the pallets.

Thanks.

 

[redsoxs]

Here are some old threads where pallet coops are discussed and displayed. https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=pallet+coop

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks for the link

 

[Duckies Girls]

I just built a pallet coop for ducks this fall. Total cost was just over $70 but I had a lot of left over materials from my other projects. The walls are pallets, assembled board and baten style with boards pried off other pallets. The roof is two pallets with a 4x8 sheet of 1/2 plywood, tar paper, and shingles. The front door is made of fence pickets. The top of each side wall comes down so there is a breeze through the coop in hot weather. Its set up on cinder blocks (our farm is nothing but hills) with dirt/sand floor.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I just built a pallet coop for ducks this fall. Total cost was just over $70 but I had a lot of left over materials from my other projects. The walls are pallets, assembled board and baten style with boards pried off other pallets. The roof is two pallets with a 4x8 sheet of 1/2 plywood, tar paper, and shingles. The front door is made of fence pickets. The top of each side wall comes down so there is a breeze through the coop in hot weather. Its set up on cinder blocks (our farm is nothing but hills) with dirt/sand floor.

Wow that looks great! Definitely inspires me to get building mine too and I only hope it can look as nice! You did a great job! It looks very secure too. And the ducks just hop right up into it? Seems like the cinder blocks and the dirt/sand floor would help to keep it a little cooler in the summer too and help keep it from getting so messy

 

[Duckies Girls]

Wow that looks great! Definitely inspires me to get building mine too and I only hope it can look as nice! You did a great job! It looks very secure too. And the ducks just hop right up into it? Seems like the cinder blocks and the dirt/sand floor would help to keep it a little cooler in the summer too and help keep it from getting so messy

Thanks! It is definitely a lot more work than building with new materials but the savings were worth it for me. My advice would be to collect about twice as many pallets as you think you will need, take measurements and determine which will work best for front wall, side walls, back wall and the roof. I knew how much plywood I had for the roof so I based the dimensions of the coop on that. The bedding still gets gross but i can just shovel it out the door and bring some more in. I also realized ducks dont jump as well as chickens, so I added a big rock in front of the door as a step.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks! It is definitely a lot more work than building with new materials but the savings were worth it for me. My advice would be to collect about twice as many pallets as you think you will need, take measurements and determine which will work best for front wall, side walls, back wall and the roof. I knew how much plywood I had for the roof so I based the dimensions of the coop on that. The bedding still gets gross but i can just shovel it out the door and bring some more in. I also realized ducks dont jump as well as chickens, so I added a big rock in front of the door as a step.

No problem! And yeah, as fun as it's been building the coop and as nice as it looks, it is amazing how fast it adds up so I definitely want to use pallets and save on the duck coop. Especially when it can look just as nice. That's a good idea, thanks. That sounds fairly easy and oh good idea

 

[ShrekDawg]

Sounds lame but I just posted a CL ad for pallets hah

I think we have some places to get some around here but not sure how nice they are or how many there are and figured I'd ask

 

[Elmochook]

Here are some old threads where pallet coops are discussed and displayed. https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=pallet+coop

I tried this link but it keeps erroring out.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I tried this link but it keeps erroring out.

I think it's cause it's from the old site and the search is different now but if you search pallet coop in the search box I think you will find the same thing