Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[Sally PB]

Did you notice my hand-made handles on top of the wire frame? Those are from the notches on the 2X4 pallet wood stretchers. I just ripped the top half of the 2X4 stretcher to make 2X2's and then cut off the bottom notches to make those handles. Works really good.

Yes! Brilliant!

 

[chickengr]

Merry Christmas!

 

[gtaus]

Merry Christmas!

Thank you. And Merry Christmas to all of you and your families.

 

[chickengr]

found a new use for old pallets! my coops got flooded and a pair of old hands and lack of materials did not help. so I dragged some old pallets and put them on muddy/watery floor. my coops are on dirt.

 

[gtaus]

found a new use for old pallets! my coops got flooded and a pair of old hands and lack of materials did not help. so I dragged some old pallets and put them on muddy/watery floor. my coops are on dirt.

I think using pallets as a temporary solution to keep the chicken up and out of the muddy water is a great idea.

I think a longer-term solution would be to build up the coop and/or chicken run floor. I don't have a flooding problem, but I dumped in all kinds of organic materials into my chicken run, including wood chips, leaves, dried grass, etc... I have about 12-18 inches deep litter depending on the time of the year. If my chicken run ever did flood, I would never notice it unless it was higher than that 12-18 inches of litter.

A few years ago, I watched a YouTube video of some guy down in Texas who was dealing with a couple of inches of flood water in his chicken run. He kept dumping in wood chips until the flood waters were no longer an issue for him. I suppose you could use pallet wood as a barrier around the coop or chicken run to hold in all those wood chips or other litter that you might use to raise the level of the floor. You don't want all that hard work to wash away.

The chickens would also enjoy scratching and pecking in the deep organic litter whereas there is not as much to do standing on pallets. My chicken run litter at 12-18 inches deep is full of worms and bugs. Keeps my chickens happy all day long scratching and pecking in the compost for things to eat.

 

[RO0STERSrAWESOME]

I saw this idea online somewhere (not my photo) and absolutely loved it!! I had a few pallets but I gave them to my dad because I thought I wouldn't need them
Once I get one I have to try this!!

 

[gtaus]

I saw this idea online somewhere (not my photo) and absolutely loved it!! I had a few pallets but I gave them to my dad because I thought I wouldn't need them
Once I get one I have to try this!!
View attachment 4015558

Yeah, that's a great idea. There are a number of YouTube videos on how to make those pallet planters. I think that would be great especially for people with limited space, like a balcony in the city.

 

[chickengr]

I think using pallets as a temporary solution to keep the chicken up and out of the muddy water is a great idea.

I think a longer-term solution would be to build up the coop and/or chicken run floor. I don't have a flooding problem, but I dumped in all kinds of organic materials into my chicken run, including wood chips, leaves, dried grass, etc... I have about 12-18 inches deep litter depending on the time of the year. If my chicken run ever did flood, I would never notice it unless it was higher than that 12-18 inches of litter.

A few years ago, I watched a YouTube video of some guy down in Texas who was dealing with a couple of inches of flood water in his chicken run. He kept dumping in wood chips until the flood waters were no longer an issue for him. I suppose you could use pallet wood as a barrier around the coop or chicken run to hold in all those wood chips or other litter that you might use to raise the level of the floor. You don't want all that hard work to wash away.

The chickens would also enjoy scratching and pecking in the deep organic litter whereas there is not as much to do standing on pallets. My chicken run litter at 12-18 inches deep is full of worms and bugs. Keeps my chickens happy all day long scratching and pecking in the compost for things to eat.

I have 16 coops. they flood only if it rains 2-3 days in a row. I wish I had wood chips or anything to raise the floor.

 

[Molpet]

I have 16 coops. they flood only if it rains 2-3 days in a row. I wish I had wood chips or anything to raise the floor.

How big are your coops? I assume breeding coops.

 

[gtaus]

I have 16 coops. they flood only if it rains 2-3 days in a row. I wish I had wood chips or anything to raise the floor.

Most of my chicken run compost litter is leaves and dried grass. Just about anything organic would build up over time and work.

I have access to loads of free wood chips at our local county landfill, so that is why I always mention wood chips.

Is it possible to dig in drainage trenches around your coops/runs? I know sometimes you just have to work with what you have, but is it possible to relocate your coops/runs to higher ground?

I'm glad to hear that the pallets are getting your chickens up and off the muddy ground, but I see that only as a temporary solution. Maybe it's all you need if you don't get flooding very often.

If you can figure out how to load up your chicken run with organics and make a deep litter type compost, you will not only solve the flooding issue, but over time that litter will be home to lots of bugs and worms that your chickens can scratch and peck up and eat. That will cut down on your commercial feed costs. Well, it does for me anyway.