I was really needing a coop for some of my bantams but I just could not see spending alot of money on it. So I did alot of research on here and came across a couple of the pallet coops. I showed my hubby some of these and asked his opinion. He said what a great idea and then proceeded to pat me on the back saying "When are you going to start?" GRRRRRRRR! Now I know that I am spoiled and I was really trying to get him to make it for me but at the same time I am not opposed to hard work and doing things for my self that need to be done. I also kinda like power tools but I was really dreading going out to make this thing. After a couple of days of harassing my hubby about making this for me and him adamantly refusing I pulled up my big girl pants and out the door I went. I found four pallets at a business up the road from me and brought them home and stared at them for a couple of days trying to decide what I wanted to do. I am 5'5" and weigh about 108 with hair down almost to my knees ( you will find out why this is important later) and no real building knowledge so imagine me out there trying to pull pallets apart with my hammer and pry bar.
Hubby finialy took pity on me and SHOWED me how to do it properly. I growled at him when he handed my tools back to me.
I started on another design then part way pulled it all apart when I change my mind. This is probably why hubby wouldn't build this for me.
First day:
Two pallets pulled apart and two walls put together and standing
Second day:
Another two pallets pulled apart and the floor down
The walls going on
Third day
The frame for the roof. I was screwing the frame together for the roof when my hair, that was in a pony tail then shoved down the back of my shirt, decided to fall over my shoulder and get wrapped up in the drill. Talk about a mess. In the split second that it took me to take my finger off the trigger the drill had wrapped my hair up so tight and was only about two inches from my scalp. Thank you God that I did not get hurt. I was so worried that I had to cut my hair off but hubby took the time to take his 200.00 drill apart for me and all was saved and good. Took me almost 45 minutes to get the knots out but I have my scalp and my hair. VERY big lesson learned here. When working with power tools hair up in a very tight and secured bun!!!
Day four:
shingling the sides. The shingles came off the house that covered our well when we rebuilt that. Hubby kept trying to throw the shingles out and I kept digging them out. I knew that I would need them one day.
I thought these holes on either side were going to be a pain to try to fill in but I turned what I thought was a design flaw into something I can use. I screwed a piece of 1x4 on to a piece of 2x4 then put them into place. I can remove these easily to sweep out the coop then put them back into place.
Day five:
I had a piece of fiberglass that came off our green house that I cut to fit for the roof. I elected to not put any hardware cloth on before I put the fiberglass on because this coop is going into a fully enclosed run. I have a hawk problem and the run that this coop will be going into will have a wire roof to keep the little birds safe. I will replace the fiberglass with a metal roof if I can find some for really cheap but for now the fiberglass works just find and lets in a lot of light for the girls.
What is not shown is that the roof is on hinges and can open easily for cleaning. I will also prop the roof up for ventilation.
I have a piece of linoleum that I hopefully will be able to lay down on the floor to help keep it clean and I am going to use a couple of milk crates on their sides for nest boxes. As soon as I figure the best way to put up the roosts I will post a pic.
I picked up a can of decking stain in the miss-tint department for $5.00 and as soon as the coop dries out (it rained here the other night) I will get it painted up.
Total cost:
Pallets - free
Box of screws ( I can't really use a hammer very well - ask my poor fingers) - 10.00
Pain/stain - 5.00 in the miss- tint isle. I haven't painted it yet.
Hinges - 3.00 a piece. I needed 2 heavy duty ones.
Piece of linoleum for the floor - 4.00 at the salvage yard
Every thing else I had around the house or in the junk pile.
I started on another design then part way pulled it all apart when I change my mind. This is probably why hubby wouldn't build this for me.
First day:
Two pallets pulled apart and two walls put together and standing
Second day:
Another two pallets pulled apart and the floor down
The walls going on
Third day
The frame for the roof. I was screwing the frame together for the roof when my hair, that was in a pony tail then shoved down the back of my shirt, decided to fall over my shoulder and get wrapped up in the drill. Talk about a mess. In the split second that it took me to take my finger off the trigger the drill had wrapped my hair up so tight and was only about two inches from my scalp. Thank you God that I did not get hurt. I was so worried that I had to cut my hair off but hubby took the time to take his 200.00 drill apart for me and all was saved and good. Took me almost 45 minutes to get the knots out but I have my scalp and my hair. VERY big lesson learned here. When working with power tools hair up in a very tight and secured bun!!!
Day four:
shingling the sides. The shingles came off the house that covered our well when we rebuilt that. Hubby kept trying to throw the shingles out and I kept digging them out. I knew that I would need them one day.
I thought these holes on either side were going to be a pain to try to fill in but I turned what I thought was a design flaw into something I can use. I screwed a piece of 1x4 on to a piece of 2x4 then put them into place. I can remove these easily to sweep out the coop then put them back into place.
Day five:
I had a piece of fiberglass that came off our green house that I cut to fit for the roof. I elected to not put any hardware cloth on before I put the fiberglass on because this coop is going into a fully enclosed run. I have a hawk problem and the run that this coop will be going into will have a wire roof to keep the little birds safe. I will replace the fiberglass with a metal roof if I can find some for really cheap but for now the fiberglass works just find and lets in a lot of light for the girls.
What is not shown is that the roof is on hinges and can open easily for cleaning. I will also prop the roof up for ventilation.
I have a piece of linoleum that I hopefully will be able to lay down on the floor to help keep it clean and I am going to use a couple of milk crates on their sides for nest boxes. As soon as I figure the best way to put up the roosts I will post a pic.
I picked up a can of decking stain in the miss-tint department for $5.00 and as soon as the coop dries out (it rained here the other night) I will get it painted up.
Total cost:
Pallets - free
Box of screws ( I can't really use a hammer very well - ask my poor fingers) - 10.00
Pain/stain - 5.00 in the miss- tint isle. I haven't painted it yet.
Hinges - 3.00 a piece. I needed 2 heavy duty ones.
Piece of linoleum for the floor - 4.00 at the salvage yard
Every thing else I had around the house or in the junk pile.
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