Pallet/Scrap Wood/2x4 coop build:8x4 coop for about $250(Pic heavy)

[Slippy]

I'll second it, Funky yet Rustic job there @Tre3hugger !

Also I dig your life philosophy! The older I get the more I see the wisdom in it...

"I wish I had worked more and not done the things that made me happy"...said no one on their death bed!

Enjoy the birds!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Thanks so much @Slippy the guineas will be moving in there on wednesday! Decided on plastic sheeting for triangles and door. non operable Windows. The theme of this co-op is natural light!

And ya, F work ing for anyone but yourself

 

[R.J.]

I built this using 2x4s and pallets/scrap wood. I also bought roofing materials. It's 8x4xabout 9 ft high and cost around $250. I'm a novice builder, and this project presented a lot of...problem solving opportunities. Not much was square etc due to the recycled material but I made it work. I'm pretty glad how it's coming out! Happy to answer any questions or hear any critiques. This will be housing 9 juvenile guineas for a month then only at night.

I put a floor of 2x4s and plywood on cinder blocks with shims for a "foundation." Then I made the long walls out of pallets stacked 2 high.
View attachment 2138765
After bracing the pallets, I added an inner frame of 2x4s for some stability, and framing for the doors. The 2x4s of the pallets provide plenty of perimeter shelving to attach roosts to.
View attachment 2138766
I threw the roof together quite unexpertly, but it has already stood up to 1 rainstorm. Shout out to @DobieLover for helping with the rafter math. Didn't come out perfect, but it'll work! I am going to add one more roof panel on each end to give a slight overhang over the doors. The plywood door with the twig handle on the left will be for the birds. The opening on the right will be a feed/water/interaction door, which doesn't open to floor level. The diamond shaped piece of wood rotates and "double locks" the guinea door. The top half of top pallets are still slatted for ventilation and so the birds can look out while roosting, but covered with chicken wire. The roof alternates green and clear to provide shade or radiant solar heat as they prefer. Used foam insulation in an attempt at a draft free bottom half.
View attachment 2138798
Clearly running low on wood! lol scraping the bottom of the scrap pile.
View attachment 2138763
Just need to make the triangles to complete the sheathing up top(so tricky!) and finish that last door. The back side will have a big fold down hatch door for clean out.
View attachment 2138800
Not the pretties coop but I'm thrilled with what I accomplished for the price. A few coats of paint will go a long way.


@R2elk @Mixed flock enthusiast any suggestions for roost layout inside? Def plan on putting a shelf above the feeder/waterer. Should I put a nesting box? Think my birds will like it? I plan on putting them in there by monday! They will be 3 1/2 weeks old. Should I put their brooder plate on at night in there for approx 50* temps? I plan on converting there brooder into a huddle box, do you think the heat plate's necessary? My 9 keets are ready for an upgrade. Brooder's gettin tight!
View attachment 2138789
Thanks for reading!

I feel ya I started a single breeding pen today 8L×4W×6H $289 of material. I can't believe how expensive it was.

 

[Aunt Tat]

ONE of the best parts of BYC is the lengths chicken lovers go to make sure their flocks are happy and the "girls will like........" During these times, it's so healing to read stories about how people love their animals and want them happy, comfortable and healthy.

 

[McChooky]

I built this using 2x4s and pallets/scrap wood. I also bought roofing materials. It's 8x4xabout 9 ft high and cost around $250. I'm a novice builder, and this project presented a lot of...problem solving opportunities. Not much was square etc due to the recycled material but I made it work. I'm pretty glad how it's coming out! Happy to answer any questions or hear any critiques. This will be housing 9 juvenile guineas for a month then only at night.

I put a floor of 2x4s and plywood on cinder blocks with shims for a "foundation." Then I made the long walls out of pallets stacked 2 high.
View attachment 2138765
After bracing the pallets, I added an inner frame of 2x4s for some stability, and framing for the doors. The 2x4s of the pallets provide plenty of perimeter shelving to attach roosts to.
View attachment 2138766
I threw the roof together quite unexpertly, but it has already stood up to 1 rainstorm. Shout out to @DobieLover for helping with the rafter math. Didn't come out perfect, but it'll work! I am going to add one more roof panel on each end to give a slight overhang over the doors. The plywood door with the twig handle on the left will be for the birds. The opening on the right will be a feed/water/interaction door, which doesn't open to floor level. The diamond shaped piece of wood rotates and "double locks" the guinea door. The top half of top pallets are still slatted for ventilation and so the birds can look out while roosting, but covered with chicken wire. The roof alternates green and clear to provide shade or radiant solar heat as they prefer. Used foam insulation in an attempt at a draft free bottom half.
View attachment 2138798
Clearly running low on wood! lol scraping the bottom of the scrap pile.
View attachment 2138763
Just need to make the triangles to complete the sheathing up top(so tricky!) and finish that last door. The back side will have a big fold down hatch door for clean out.
View attachment 2138800
Not the pretties coop but I'm thrilled with what I accomplished for the price. A few coats of paint will go a long way.


@R2elk @Mixed flock enthusiast any suggestions for roost layout inside? Def plan on putting a shelf above the feeder/waterer. Should I put a nesting box? Think my birds will like it? I plan on putting them in there by monday! They will be 3 1/2 weeks old. Should I put their brooder plate on at night in there for approx 50* temps? I plan on converting there brooder into a huddle box, do you think the heat plate's necessary? My 9 keets are ready for an upgrade. Brooder's gettin tight!
View attachment 2138789
Thanks for reading!

Its important that you make a sturdy coop that'll hold up in bad weather. Lookers don't necessarily protect your birds any better. If you spend all your money on things that don't matter you won't have any left for things that do.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Its important that you make a sturdy coop that'll hold up in bad weather. Lookers don't necessarily protect your birds any better. If you spend all your money on things that don't matter you won't have any left for things that do.

Agree. Two years in and this pallet coop is still goin strong.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

We have had to replace wooden privacy fencing due to hurricanes and have found that sections of wood fencing make good building material. It is also free, as it would end up in the dump otherwise. Fencing had to be replaced regardless. Win-win for us.

 

[McChooky]

I extended our perimeter fence 50 ft with pallets to keep dogs out. They can be brutal to work with!