Excited at all that I got!

[Hopefulloflove]

Ok, so today I got 14 construction grade pallets, 30 2x4x6's and about 8 cinder blocks (don't know what I will do with them) for....

FREE!!

Hmmm...now what do I do? LOL

I will say that the 2x4x6's are untreated, so that was a bummer, but I am sure I can solve that somehow...what do you all think? I will be bringing home 20 babies in about 2 weeks!

 

[Poppafrog]

Sounds like you better get to work. Free is always better!

 

[ernndbrtt]

Sounds like you better get buliding... This is what 20 pallets looks like:

And it turned into this:

This coop is @10' X 6"and 8' tall at the front and 6' tall at the back... I wanted to be able to walk in it. It's not quite done yet, I have to add a couple more windows, sheet, insulate the inside, and add my nest boxes and roosts, paint the trim, etc.....I should have it ready for the girls and gent this weekend ;o) The possiblities for free pallets are endless.

 

[chicken_noob]

Free stuff is good. As for "treating" them you can either get some deck stain/sealer or even paint them with a good glossy porch paint. The blocks are nice for putting the food and water on them. Just my 2cents.

 

[minihorse927]

Hmmm, if I didn't have so many chickens around that would be such an easy and free way to build a coop cause I have a endless supply to pallets!!!!! Also have tons of plywood laying around...

 

[ernndbrtt]

Quote:
You can build a pallet coop as big as you want... I'm building a goat barn this way this fall.
It's going to be at least 20' X 10', maybe 20' x 13'6". Mine coop is 10 X 6 so by chicken math I could get 15 girls in there... I only plan to have 8-10, but I like to plan ahead ;o)

 

[Hopefulloflove]

Okay...how do I go about building this thing? Do I want to take the pallets apart or do it like the ernnbrtt did it? How did you do that ernnbrtt? I really need some help, once I get started I'll be fine, but I'm having a hard time figuring out how to get going with this....My husband is going to flip when he gets home. Realize that he works in VA during the week, so he left on Monday with an empty yard, and he will be coming home tomorrow to all this stuff sitting out back! LOL

This is so exciting!

 

[ernndbrtt]

Quote:
What I did was join the pallets together side by side with screws.... Two by two I formed my walls with them. After I got most of the lower walls done, I started adding the top layer of pallets... A note here: I would suggest putting a 2x4 how ever tall you want your walls (mine are 8' in the front and 6' in the back) in between each set of pallets, it will makes securing the upper and lower pallets MUCH easier, I didn't do it this way but wished I did as mine would already be done by now ;o) If you are only making your walls one pallet high this can be disregarded.

Make sure your pallets are all the same (size and thickness of wood) or you end with walls that aren't quite even as you can tell in my pics if you look close enough ;o) Here's a pic of the lower wall with the upper wall in the process of being started to hopefully give you an idea of what I'm talking about:

Taking the pallets apart will require you to then use real lumber, 2x4's, to frame it and taking apart pallets is a real pain even with a sawzall.

If you worry about the sturdiness of the way I did it, keep in mind that I have been on the roof of this thing nailing the sheeting on and putting the shingles on it and it never even wobbled, I am not a small man ;o). It just withstood a 60 mph windstorm this week with the severe thunderstorms we had roll through here.

Relax.... It's only a chicken coop ;o)