Are pallet coops safe?

[FDaniels]

it's a honda civic 4 door sedan

 

[WYNot]

Just curious... where are you that you are determined to insulate? As mentioned, there are many members here that are in very northern climes and they don't insulate. It is much more important to ensure that the coop is adequately ventilated to allow moisture and fumes to exit and to ensure that there aren't drafts directly on the chickens. Most chickens are quite capable of handling cold temps with sufficient ventilation, no drafts, and access to food and water.

Confession... I do indeed have a single heat lamp in our 4'x8' uninsulated coop. BUT that was more to keep the wife happy. She didn't grow up on a farm like I did so she tends to worry more about the livestock, ie she spoils them. She'd leave it on all winter if I let her. I try to only turn it on during sub-zero cold snaps or long spells of single digit days (3+ days). Even on the coldest of days, the chickens are outside during the day as long as there is no snow on the ground. For whatever reason they absolutely HATE snow and will not set foot in it.

I am so wishy-washy. Now I'm back to considering building with pallets. But which would keep the bugs & rats to a minimum? pallets or store lumber? And what's a good cheap way to insulate the coop to avoid running the risk of it being infected with bugs or having a problem with rats?

 

[WYNot]

No friends/neighbors with a pickup or van? Worst case, you can rent pickups for the day from Home Depot and Menards, at least the ones around here you can.

can you haul average sized pallets in a car? it's the only vehicle we have access to

 

[FDaniels]

I read that about snow & chickens so I guess it's good it only snows a couple times a year here. We live in Alabama. This is our first time with chicks so I'm used to having to insulate dog houses & cat houses & I guess it's just wired into me to insulate everything to keep them warm.

 

[WYNot]

Alabama? Oh, in that case I wouldn't worry about insulating. Just remember they have built in down comforters.

I'd think that ensuring they have plenty of shade and fresh water in the summer would be more important.

As for our chickens' aversion to snow, I finally broke down last week and shoveled an area of the run and spread some wood shavings. They were some VERY happy campers as we'd had snow for quite a few weeks and I think they were getting a bit stir-crazy in the coop. Still it was hilarious each morning when I opened their door to the run to see them peek out, look around, and go back into the coop with this miffed look on their faces.

I read that about snow & chickens so I guess it's good it only snows a couple times a year here. We live in Alabama. This is our first time with chicks so I'm used to having to insulate dog houses & cat houses & I guess it's just wired into me to insulate everything to keep them warm. 

 

[FDaniels]

I can imagine the look on their faces. One reason I can't wait to get our chicks and/or the 2 older pullets as well is just to witness their personalities. We've been formally trained by our cats to handle clashing personalities but I can imagine what's in store for us with chickens. Would a tarped roof over some trusses (with hardware cloth covering the roof as well under whatever actual roofing we put on) be ok & good enough? I don't know if we could afford metal roofing for the large run we're going to build.

 

[flyboy129]

I live a bit north of you in TN. My coop is framed, then walled on the outside with smartsiding as well as lined inside with thin plastic paneling. No insulation. I have a large window on the east wall that has an awning that I close during the winter. Got down to -10 here a few nights recently with wind chills in the -teens. I made sure the birds had food, and kept water out several times a day so they could drink it between it freezing up. Egg production dropped to zilch for this time, but the birds weathered fine.

As far as the heat treating. It is a law that internationally shipped pallets (export or import) be heat treated. This is simply a process where the wood is heated in a kiln or hot steam to around 130* to kill any insects that would be alive inside otherwise. Chemical treating would also kill these insects as well. As far as drawbacks to heat treated wood, there is only reports of mold, but I've yet to personally see that (I used to handle pallets daily and had access to a large pallet supply that stayed outdoors). I would think adequate air circulation or being sealed from the elements would prevent mold. Most non treated local pallets were poplar (my 1st choice as far as a non treated building lumber), oak, and some sort of pine/fir/spruce. The oak pallets are typically very hard to use especially if you're not fastening them together with screws. Even then, predrilling a pilot hole would be time ahead.

Most square pallets are in the neighborhood of 4'x4'. We regularly seen 44"x48", 48"x48", and 48"x54". We did get some that were 49"x97" for large 4x8 sheets we used. Those were heat treated pine. They were constructed by 4-2x4s that were laid on their edge and covered perpendicularly with 3/4" decking on top, then a few more perpendicular 2x4 blocks on the bottom. I disassembled them for the 2x4s which I used to frame my minibarn and coop. The only mold came when I had them in a stack and they were rained on. A couple days of laying out in the sun separately before I framed cured that problem.

As far as a Civic hauling them, does the back seat let down? That, coupled with a quick glance using a tape measure will give you your answer. I hauled windows (2-3'x5' and 2 2'x3') for my upcoming coop remodel in the back of my Trans Am by letting the seat down and removing the panel that covered my spare and laying it on top of the windows after they were in the car. And the hatch closed! Does your civic have a hitch by chance? Maybe you could rent or borrow a small, lightweight 4x6 or 4x8 trailer. Just remember you're towing with a small car and handling/braking are affected. I'd personally say go for it. Do plan (which is what you are doing), it makes things go easier.

 

[flyboy129]

I can imagine the look on their faces. One reason I can't wait to get our chicks and/or the 2 older pullets as well is just to witness their personalities. We've been formally trained by our cats to handle clashing personalities but I can imagine what's in store for us with chickens. Would a tarped roof over some trusses (with hardware cloth covering the roof as well under whatever actual roofing we put on) be ok & good enough? I don't know if we could afford metal roofing for the large run we're going to build.

Why not do a hoop coop/run?

 

[JackE]

You don't have to worry about insulating a chicken coop, as the birds already come with perfect insulation of their own. If you do insulate, you will HAVE to install interior walls. Because if you don't the chickens will happily shred it to pieces. But, with interior walls, you will have provided a perfect hidden place for mice, rats, and who knows what else, to set up housekeeping of their own. Not good, you want full visibility of everything inside your coop.
Also, you don't have to worry about adding heat. The chickens can easily handle the cold you get where you are. I get temps into the single digits around here, not including windchill, and my birds have no problems at all in their unheated, uninsulated coop. And my coop is open air, with the whole front open year round. Don't fall into the trap, of trying to "Keep them warm" You can read a lot about coop fires from well meaning people on this forum.
I would not mix 6wk old chicks with the much older birds. There will be bullying, maybe severe. If you are going to get the older and younger birds, you should build a separator of some kind in the coop. When I get new chicks ready to move out into my coop, I have a 2X3" framed, chickenwire wall, I put in there. From floor to ceiling. So the older birds can see, but not harm, the new ones. I take the wall out when the chicks are 12 wks or so old. Then they are big enough to look out for themselves better. Even then, sometimes it's like the mean streets of N.Y. in there. Even today, some of the younger birds, 2yrs old, get reminded of their place.
As far as building with pallets goes. I would not just tie, nail, screw together whole pallets. It just, IMO, looks shabby. I would cut all the planks free from the heavy boards, and use them like any other regular board. Have what looks like a clapboard siding on an old house. BUT, ever try to drive a nail in one of those pallet boards, kinda tough lumber. A nailgun would make everything go a lot smoother. Even pulling nails out of a pallet is a chore. It can be done, but you'll be wishing for fresh, straight lumber by the time you are done.

 

[WYNot]

They will definitely have their own personalities.

If well secured, it should be more than sufficient. There are several posts here and lots of articles on the net about building coops/runs hoop house style using cattle panels, some 2x4s, and tarps. Just ziptie some hardware cloth to the cattle panels to keep the critters out and the chickens in and you're golden.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...3DCF070A395E024410037AEA50CAB4082&FORM=IQFRBA

 I can imagine the look on their faces. One reason I can't wait to get our chicks and/or the 2 older pullets as well is just to witness their personalities. We've been formally trained by our cats to handle clashing personalities but I can imagine what's in store for us with chickens. Would a tarped roof over some trusses (with hardware cloth covering the roof as well under whatever actual roofing we put on) be ok & good enough? I don't know if we could afford metal roofing for the large run we're going to build.