show me your pallet coops!

[urbanfarmette]

i'm thinking of using shipping crates (not solid walled ones--they are made of boards similar to pallets but larger--4x8--with sides) or pallets to make a 4x4ft coop and 4x4ft run. any insight for me? if you have a pallet coop could you post pictures?

a couple of questions/concerns:

1. won't there be gaps btwn the pallet boards? would i then have to side the coop to keep it from being drafty? would vinyl siding negate the cost saved by using pallets?

2. with gaps btwn the boards do i have to worry more about mites?

3. would i still have to purchase 2x4s to frame the coop or can the pallet boards be used for this too?

4. my mom's boyfriend who is helping me build the coop was concerned that the wood could come from china and have toxic chemicals in it that would be harmful to the birds. any thoughts?

5. will the coop hold up or will the cheap wood mean replacing it in a year or two?

basically i'm wondering if a pallet coop is worth it in the long run.

thanks for any help!

here's some links to others' pallet coops i found on BYC:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=16313-pallet-coop (ours would be much smaller. the pallets, plywood, and siding on the walls seems like overkill for our purposes. we don't have plywood or siding to recycle so that would be added cost for us)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=23574-maran-pallet-coop (this design wouldn't work since we have cold winters--ours needs to have ventilation but not be too drafty and have fully walled sides)

 

[schellie69]

Here is a link to my pallet coop, we used pallets, old shower doors, left over plywood, and a old wooden toybox. It was a simple coop. We do have cold winters here I hope this helps We did but new board for the floor boards. and used recycled plastic flooring for the coop because it won't rot. If you want to see pictures of the work in progress let me know I have those photos also.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=477934

 

[urbanfarmette]

Here is a link to my pallet coop, we used pallets, old shower doors, left over plywood, and a old wooden toybox. It was a simple coop. We do have cold winters here I hope this helps We did but new board for the floor boards. and used recycled plastic flooring for the coop because it won't rot. If you want to see pictures of the work in progress let me know I have those photos also.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=477934

what do you mean by plastic flooring? i am hoping to use something durable for flooring as well.​

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
what do you mean by plastic flooring? i am hoping to use something durable for flooring as well.

I got it at lowes its made from wood pulp and recycled plastic bottles. It won't rot bugs won't eat it here a picture of it the gray/blue flooring

 

[urbanfarmette]

I got it at lowes its made from wood pulp and recycled plastic bottles. It won't rot bugs won't eat it here a picture of it the gray/blue flooring

is it normally used for decks?​

 

[wannabchick]

Thats what I was thinking too.. isnt that.. deck flooring.. like trex..etc

awesome idea though