After getting chicks for Mother's Day we knew another coop had to be build-- in a hurry and on a tight budget.
We recycled the platform from under the hot tub that we gave away and used shipping pallets (got them for free from the guy at the grocery store) to frame up the sides.
We tore other pallets apart and used the slats to fill in the gaps inside the coop. Caution--oak pallets are extremely difficult to take apart.
The outside is covered with cedar shakes that we got for free from the lumber yard. Seems that they can't sell the ones that fall out of the bundles.
We did buy a few 2x4's to frame the roof, but the plywood was in a dumpster on a building site and we asked the builders if we could have it.
Still don't understand why they would throw away whole sheets of plywood, but it is our gain.
A big pat-on-the-back to my DH for the idea for the door. He used a bore bit to drill all the way through the corner of one pallet and into the platform base, then
pounded a steel pipe through to create a hinge! Works like a charm--especially since the door is so heavy. Already had the pipe, so FREE!!
We did have to spend a little on the nails and such, but it was a far cry less expensive than our first coop!
Anyway, here a a couple of pics.
inside view
We recycled the platform from under the hot tub that we gave away and used shipping pallets (got them for free from the guy at the grocery store) to frame up the sides.
We tore other pallets apart and used the slats to fill in the gaps inside the coop. Caution--oak pallets are extremely difficult to take apart.
The outside is covered with cedar shakes that we got for free from the lumber yard. Seems that they can't sell the ones that fall out of the bundles.
We did buy a few 2x4's to frame the roof, but the plywood was in a dumpster on a building site and we asked the builders if we could have it.
Still don't understand why they would throw away whole sheets of plywood, but it is our gain.
A big pat-on-the-back to my DH for the idea for the door. He used a bore bit to drill all the way through the corner of one pallet and into the platform base, then
pounded a steel pipe through to create a hinge! Works like a charm--especially since the door is so heavy. Already had the pipe, so FREE!!
We did have to spend a little on the nails and such, but it was a far cry less expensive than our first coop!
Anyway, here a a couple of pics.
inside view
