Pallet coop question

[kattperson]

Hey y'all! I got a bunch of pallets to use the wood to build my coop (lumber prices are way too crazy right now!), and all the pallet coops I see just use the lumber itself. I'm curious if there are any downsides I'm missing to using the whole pallet as-is? It seems like an easy way to build the walls. Plus I live in Texas so I'm thinking the gaps (covered with hardware cloth) would be good, but I'm wondering if I'm missing something negative about using whole pallets!

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

I have used whole pallets for three different coops over the years and they work well. I live in a place where it is very windy, snow got in all of them cause we also didn't properly make it so snow would not get in while still having good ventilation, all the pallet coops We made would at least have a drift at one point or another during the winter, but I blame that on the builders which are me and my siblings and dad. we only made them a pallet tall I think it was too hard to make them any higher, so we had to crouch to be in the coops (which was annoying).
I don't have much advise, the only thing I can say is if you don't want predators to get to your birds make sure you put a good door on it.
My family never put doors on them and we rarely closed them up, I guess we didn't think that skunks would love the open invitation.
But we only ever lost about 4 chickens because of predators when we had the pallet coops and this is all over a course of 5 years. Psst (we also never put chicken wire around them either) pallets coops if done right won't necessarily need chicken wire though still prolly good to put it on anyways.
I myself am going to work on a pallet coop for my 8 ducks, oh and it is going to have a door and most likely chicken wire I am making sure of it...
Good luck with building your new pallet coop, or whatever kind of coop! I hope it works out just fine.
I think I gave good advise?

 

[McChooky]

Hey y'all! I got a bunch of pallets to use the wood to build my coop (lumber prices are way too crazy right now!), and all the pallet coops I see just use the lumber itself. I'm curious if there are any downsides I'm missing to using the whole pallet as-is? It seems like an easy way to build the walls. Plus I live in Texas so I'm thinking the gaps (covered with hardware cloth) would be good, but I'm wondering if I'm missing something negative about using whole pallets!

I prefer using whole pallets too .Their size determine what you can make. Hardware cloth is great to cover gaps. Unfortunately I live in WV so I cover the gaps with boards to cut down on drafts .

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

You're right that in your area you will want extra ventilation. Consider using an Open Air design -- basically a roofed wire box with a weather-shelter at the windward end.

If you use posts to support the roof you can probably use the whole pallets as infill without worrying about the structural problems inherent to use pallets to support loads. If necessary, you can put a tarp on the side that needs protection from storm winds during the worst of the winter.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

 

[McChooky]

I pushed snow off the top of one end of the pallet run this afternoon. It did a great job keeping the snow out and the run dry (even in high winds!) I usually pull the tarp back farther when its not going to rain or snow but couldn't today.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Here is my whole pallet coop
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ild-8x4-coop-for-about-250-pic-heavy.1373989/

 

[kattperson]

Thank y'all for the advice and help! I started building out of pallets this weekend, I'll need to post pics - I completely forgot to take any at all Too busy trying to get screws through pallet wood!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Thank y'all for the advice and help! I started building out of pallets this weekend, I'll need to post pics - I completely forgot to take any at all Too busy trying to get screws through pallet wood!

highly recommend screws used for decking/outdoor structural. They are usually self tapping, and the star or square shaped heads make stripping less frequent. Something like these.
https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...ivnd-X4cX2AhWYlIkEHX6eAhIQ9aACegQIARBK&adurl=

Also, pre-drilling holes with a drill bit is helpful to prevent your wood splitting. Happy building, and be sure to post pics when you can!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Deck-Plus-...72aZ2MFG4BP7wPmht28aAp6dEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, those square-head deck screws are great.

We love our DeWalt 20V impact driver. I'm short and have arthritis but it makes doing this stuff easy enough for me.

 

[kattperson]

I'll have to check out the star/square screws, I just got normal Phillips head deck screws, and I definitely stripped one or two. Some of the wood was also nearly impossible to pre-drill through, I've never had that problem before! Fresh battery in the drill and everything, but we powered through.

I see that everyone recommends an impact driver in the coop section - I've never used one, it seems like it would be more for nails than screws?