Chicken coop out of pallets in AZ?

[Heelers&Chickens_OhMy]

Hello, I'm new - I'm sure my greenhorns will become incredibly apparent rather quickly.

I happened myself upon 5 who-knows-what-breed baby chicks about 4 weeks ago. They were hatched in an incubator and I picked them up at 2 weeks. Now they are thriving at 6 weeks old. I believe I have at least one rooster, but I am hoping for at least 3 hens...Only time will tell.

Since I keep going back and forth on keeping the chickens for eggs or just getting a hearty meal out of them, I keep wavering on committing hundreds of dollars for a snazzy coop (although, many of your snazzy coops are just that I must say - I praise the handywork I've seen on this site so far!). I only want 3 or 4 hens at a time, at least for now. I only have roughly 150-200 sq ft of forage-able space in backyard, and it needs to be shared with dogs and people.

My question is - what is the success that you've seen with folks building their coops out of wood pallets? I am concerned with rot, warping and stability. I'm in Phoenix, AZ, where my coop is going to have LOTS of ventilation and 'windows' that open, considering our 'lows' in the winter are perhaps 30 F. However, monsoon season yields just that - LOTS of rain rain rain, which is quickly followed by dry dry dry cooler weather. Summer is quickly approaching our normal 110 F/day high.

Advice from other Phoenicians on coop design and from anyone who would like to help a newbie today MUCH appreciated

 

[chickenbottom]

from hollister florida and there are some people who have built real pretty coops out of pallets they will pop up

 

[rufus]

You probably don't even need a coop if you have a well fenced chicken yard. What you do need is a lot of shade and mutiple sources of water.

One day without water and you are out of the chicken business.

My coop is made out of scraps and stuff found and stolen from alleys and vacant lots. The hens only stay in it during the coldest winter days.

The best time to find stuff to make coops is just after elections. There are a lot of left over signs available. My chickens live in the Obama coop. I don't steal signs from Republicans.

Most of the time my chickens are running around my backyard or hiding from the sun under the citrus trees.

You didn't say what neighborhood you were in, some places you just don't want to let people know what you are doing. Hide the coop, or make it look like a storage shed.

Good Luck,

Rufus

 

[BorderKelpie]

The best time to find stuff to make coops is just after elections. There are a lot of left over signs available. My chickens live in the Obama coop. I don't steal signs from Republicans.
That was good for a giggle, thanks!
Do you have pictures you could share of your Obama coop? I would love to see that.

 

[rufus]

We are an illegal operation, and so I am very reluctant to publish anything that would reveal our location. That said, keeping poultry is small potatoes in comparison to what else is going on in the neighborhood.

Rufus

 

[Heelers&Chickens_OhMy]

>I don't steal signs from Republicans.<

Is this because they have the guns or political affiliations of your own?

How do your chickens fare during Monsoon season? As I mentioned I share my house with dogs (and roommates - who the chickens will outlive) so I need a sturdy, sturdy place they can be safe when the dogs are out in the yard.

I saw one coop with a green roof I would LOVE to try that, and perhaps still will.

Finally, how many chickens do you have in how big of a yard? I don't know if chickens are illegal in my area but I don't think I will have neighbors who will care - besides, the rooster is getting culled as soon as he crows.

 

[rufus]

I currently have eight chickens in a very large back yard with a high block wall around it. Luckily, nobody in this neighborhood calls the cops unless somebody is dead. I couldn't get away with this in a really nice neighborhood.

Rufus

 

[Grampa with chickens]

Here's what I have. They are pretty sturdy. I'm hoping that they last as long as the chickens will.

 

[BorderKelpie]

Grampa with chickens, those are impressive. I need someone with your talent over here. lol - even my fence is crooked. I never said I would make it in construction - but I have a great time trying.

rufus, 'illegal operation' sorry, got a giggle out of that. I work in the laboratory at Methodist Hospital. In my mother's cell phone, my work # is listed as 'meth lab.' I keep begging her to change it before I'm hauled in for questioning. lol

 

[RuffTuffCreampuff]

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