Pallet coop project, suggestions and opinions welcome! update p.3

[schellie69]

I used pallets and am in the process of building the coop like you described my DH is actually building it, I am posting the pictures I have so far so you can see how we did it, my 2 son's took the pallets apart we did buy the recycled plastic flooring for the coop part for easy cleaning and we are using shower walls for the coop for easy cleaning we are building the last wall today the one with nest boxes and the door for my storage area. when we get that done I will post pictures for you. here is what we have so far
coop door for chickens

the girls side has the gray floor

my storage space where we will have door to coop part for cleaning also puting a flip door on the bottom for cleaning

here is the base that we started with

Hope this helps, remember to listen to you body I have found when I don't I pay for it for days this has been project for a few months so we have taken our time.

 

[bnentrup]

ok schellie69, stop building that coop and just make a house-- that is WAY too cool. And I am serious, it would be way too much fun to say that I live in a mansion of pallets!

 

[NurseELB]

Schellie69- Your coop project is one of the ones I looked at initially! Thank you for posting!

Eberak- I think I'm going to spent the money and get the polycarbonate roofing. That way I can start my veggies in there in the spring (on the shed side, just to tease the girls, hehe) It'll bring a lot of light to the coop during the day, too.

So today we got the foundation MOSTLY done. The outer boards are down, square and level. My yard is really sloped! Hard to see in the picture.

My sister came down for a while to help. I decided to spring for the new cedar boards for the outer skirt because I wanted to know that the foundation is stable and secure.

I'm pretty sure I overdid it today, tried to fix the fence as well as working on the coop. I work on Monday (12hr shift) so I think tomorrow better be a day off. I'm going to spend the day researching how to get electricity to it. Think I have to dig a trench- need to do it before the retaining wall goes in. Hmm, I could put lights along the retaining wall, too...

 

[schellie69]

Thank you for the nice comments, we did get the nest boxes done this weekend and the roof rafters in so, hopefully this week since DH doesn't have school we can get it done, and i will post the pictures of the completed coop, I thought about building a house using pallets but not sure i can find enough pallets to do that

 

[t4dbirds]

Looking good. Ya it would have been easier if your yard was flat

at least you had 3 neighbor guys to help with part of the fence since your sister wasn't strong enough to hold it together for you

Can't wait to see it finished. hmmm I know I've changed my mind on a back yard coup but a little tool shed would be nice, sis<ggggg>.

 

[NurseELB]

Finally got back to the coop. I've been deconstructing pallets and crates so I could get the plywood. Also it's been raining like crazy around here. Yesterday it occurred to me that I have a canopy in the garage that we use for camping, so I got it out and set it up over the site. Much better!

I got the joists in with the help of my sister (thanks T!- Your coop is next, I promise

), and then today I woke up with some energy so I got the plywood puzzle down:

As I worked today I left the back door open for the little girls to come explore the yard if they wanted. Here they are checking out the existing coop:

By the end of the day I was really jazzed about the progress so I just had to see it with at least a couple pallets up- WALLS, YEA!

I went to the local Habitat restore and bought windows (5 for $60. Wish I had been collecting them as the came up free on craigs' list

) and a huge sheet of pegboard ($1.50!) I'm going to use the pegboard on the shed side to hang my garden tools.

The foundation was the hardest part I think. We'll see how it goes with the second level of pallets!
Feeling pretty good right now, Sis is coming to help again tomorrow.

Thanks for following my progress!

 

[Stumpy]

NurseEb, thanks for sharing photos. It's looking great! I am especially interested to see how you are attaching the pallets and how you will attach the second row.

 

[t4dbirds]

Wow, you did get a lot done since I was there on Wednesday! Chics are going to love it!

 

[Dogfish]

If you need some help getting a running start on this, I'm 20 minutes away in McCleary.

 

[NurseELB]

For everyone that checks this thread before my update is actually written and posted- sorry. I got ahead of myself.

Dogfish- If I wasn't working all weekend I'd take you up on that offer!

So sis came down but it was pouring so we ran a few errands and watched a movie. No extra work today.

I have been considering insulation. Does anyone have any experience with straw? Do I have to use the whole bale, or can I pack it into the wall spaces by hand? Another thought is mud/straw. I could put up the boards on the inside of the coop and then spend the rest of the summer packing it with insulation.

Thoughts, Ideas?