Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[gtaus]

I used pallet boxes to make a quail coop and pen. Each is about 5' x 6'. It's nice as I can separate them and move with the tractor. Only thing I regret is not making the coop so I could divide it.

That sounds great. Would love to see some pictures if you can share.

There are a few things I would change on my chicken coop if I made a new one. But not really any regrets. Mostly, I changed my ideas on how to house and care for my chickens. I suppose that happens to just about all of us.

 

[Dreamers Nook]

I used pallet boxes to make a quail coop and pen. Each is about 5' x 6'. It's nice as I can separate them and move with the tractor. Only thing I regret is not making the coop so I could divide it.

This is before (partly as already started on it lol) and after coop part. All recycled wood and etc as well. I have doors on both sides for easy cleaning. I'll get a Pic of the pen in a bit.

 

[gtaus]

This is before (partly as already started on it lol) and after coop part. All recycled wood and etc as well. I have doors on both sides for easy cleaning. I'll get a Pic of the pen in a bit.

Thanks for the pictures. I love projects that use reclaimed wood. Many of my "pallet projects" might end up being a combination of both pallet wood and reclaimed or salvaged lumber from other projects. I use what I have, where I can, and try not to buy new lumber if I don't need it.

I mentioned somewhere that I am pretty happy with my coop build, but would add a few changes if I built a new coop today. One of the things I would do differently is add another drop-down panel/door for cleaning out the coop. I have my backside door for cleaning, but it sure would have been nice to add another clean out option where I could just sweep the coop litter directly into the chicken run.

Good for you to think about adding doors on both sides for easy cleaning.

Live and learn. I did get most of it right on my initial coop build. But I would do a few things differently if I ever build another coop.

 

[Dreamers Nook]

Live and learn. I did get most of it right on my initial coop build. But I would do a few things differently if I ever build another coop.

I think it's all a learning process, especially if you've never done anything like this before.
I added a picture of before the crate i used for pen part.
Though this is my first quail pen, I have had experience doing other pens.

We're definitely into using whatever we have. Just the cost of screws and hardware can run a couple hundred, wood is extremely expensive here.

We have a free pallet supplier, fairly close so we use pallets for almost everything. They really help as wind blocks for trees and etc, as we always have bad winds.

I'll get a Pic of completed pen here in a few.
I am really glad I made them as high off the ground as I did, we got about 3 ft high drifts, but didn't block the pen doors.

 

[gtaus]

I added a picture of before the crate i used for pen part.

Very nice crate. I could think of a lot of things I could make out of metal crates like that.

We're definitely into using whatever we have. Just the cost of screws and hardware can run a couple hundred, wood is extremely expensive here.

Yeah, I started this thread post COVID-19 when our lumber prices were still sky high. I wanted to build raised bed gardens and other small projects, but the cost of lumber was just too high. So, I got into repurposing free pallet wood. It turned into more of a hobby than I expected. Now, I'm hooked on trying to build stuff with free and reclaimed items. Not only saving myself lots of money, but also keeping all the materials I repurpose out of our landfills.

As to the cost of hardware, that's about all I have to spend on most of my pallet projects. I mainly use cheap drywall screws wherever I can. When I take apart my pallets, I save most of the nails for a potential future project. However, I just prefer using screws for ease of use and the ability to take apart things later if I want.

You mentioned that wood is still extremely expensive where you live. Have you considered updating your member icon with your geographic location? Sometimes it really helps to understand where a person lives. For example, my needs and concerns in northern Minnesota might be a lot different than our good friend @chickengr living in Greece. We all have different challenges based on where we live.

We have a free pallet supplier, fairly close so we use pallets for almost everything.

That sounds like a good situation for you. I would love to hear about and see your other pallet type projects. Lord knows I have posted lots of less than exciting pallet projects out of stuff I screwed together to serve a mundane purpose. But you never know who might be inspired to make the same, or similar, project to meet their needs.

They really help as wind blocks for trees and etc, as we always have bad winds.

Sounds like you might be a good candidate for some free wind powered generators! I was just watching some new YouTube videos on small wind turbines to produce electricity. One guy claimed his small wind turbine produced about 4X as much electricity as his solar panels. I thought that was interesting. Many of the newer wind turbines are much smaller and can capture wind from any direction.

Unfortunately, where I live, we don't have great sunshine nor constant wind, so solar panels and wind turbines are not on my short list.

However, if I had winds strong enough that I needed wind blockers, I might be looking into mounting some wind turbines on the blocking fence and generate some "free" electricity!

 

[Dreamers Nook]

Sounds like you might be a good candidate for some free wind powered generators! I was just watching some new YouTube videos on small wind turbines to produce electricity. One guy claimed his small wind turbine produced about 4X as much electricity as his solar panels. I thought that was interesting. Many of the newer wind turbines are much smaller and can capture wind from any direction.

The problem is the cost of batteries needed and number for solar or wind power. We're almost "off the grid" being only have electric and cell phones (which we have to use a booster for service and still not that great). We haul our own water and process wood for heat. So we did look into alternate power sources. But for retired older people, the cost of batteries and maintaining them was a bit too steep for our liking. We're on the Great Grasslands between Colorado and Nebraska.
We do use solar for small needs (pumps and etc) for flock and ponds, though.

 

[Dreamers Nook]

Thanks for the pictures. I love projects that use reclaimed wood. Many of my "pallet projects" might end up being a combination of both pallet wood and reclaimed or salvaged lumber from other projects. I use what I have, where I can, and try not to buy new lumber if I don't need it.

Here's the completed pen and inside the coop.
I found out for the bigger door I needed a guard to keep them falling out when putting them in for the night. Some are learning to go in themselves but...lol. Summer i don't mind if they stay out as you can see, very tightly sealed.

 

[gtaus]

But for retired older people, the cost of batteries and maintaining them was a bit too steep for our liking.

Oh, I completely understand. At my age, buying all those solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries would never pay back in my expected lifetime. Maybe if I was in my 30's or even 40's, but not in my 60's. I still like to look at what might be the future for those that follow us.

FYI, I'm 100% on grid power. I have looked into rooftop solar panels, but the payback period is somewhere 10 years beyond my expected lifetime. I don't get enough wind for a wind turbine, but I like watching YouTube videos on that technology as well.

 

[gtaus]

Here's the completed pen and inside the coop.

Please tell me you took those pictures after a fresh clean out of the coop and run! My coop does not have that fresh cleaned look here in the dead of winter. The best I can do is toss more bedding litter on top of the old litter. My coop will not get cleaned out again until probably mid-April. It gets to be a long winter. Anyways, those are some really nice pictures. Thanks for posting.

 

[Dreamers Nook]

Oh, I completely understand. At my age, buying all those solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries would never pay back in my expected lifetime. Maybe if I was in my 30's or even 40's, but not in my 60's. I still like to look at what might be the future for those that follow us.

If either of our kids were interested, we'd look more into it as well. But, being we're in the middle of nowhere, 2 and half hr drive to any major town, even though it's thoroughly paid for, doesn't appeal our kids lol. If they were smart, it would be well the investment, wind power. But, oh well, it is what it is.