Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[chickengr]

How big are your coops? I assume breeding coops.

about 60 sf + 170 sf run each. I keep different breeds and need to keep them separately. I sell hatching eggs and young birds.

 

[chickengr]

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.

I live in 9a zone. leaves and wood chips are a dream. impossible to relocate coops. coops are placed down the slope where they are protected from terrible winds and when my dog's water gets frozen water in coops does not. but with time soil rolls down and build up on the front side of the coops which are made of hardware cloth. so with heavy rain water runs over the soil. there are too many stones so digging is not easy. I am also short of time to do that and not easy to find a person who would do that job. people here want money but don't want to work.

 

[gtaus]

I live in 9a zone. leaves and wood chips are a dream. impossible to relocate coops. coops are placed down the slope where they are protected from terrible winds and when my dog's water gets frozen water in coops does not. but with time soil rolls down and build up on the front side of the coops which are made of hardware cloth. so with heavy rain water runs over the soil. there are too many stones so digging is not easy. I am also short of time to do that and not easy to find a person who would do that job. people here want money but don't want to work.

Understand. We all have different challenges in keeping chickens. Maybe using those pallets when necessary to keep the birds out of the mud is the best option.

 

[fuzzi]

Hey @gtaus , look at this pallet project over on BYH!

It's a sheep/goat shelter.

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/baymule’s-journal.42854/post-761120

 

[chickengr]

Hey @gtaus , look at this pallet project over on BYH!

View attachment 4020897
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It's a sheep/goat shelter.

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/baymule’s-journal.42854/post-761120

my pig and goat shelters look similar. I used iron roof skeleton as iron is cheaper than wood here (I buy 2nd grade from a factory). I also buy 2nd grade tin which is half price. as it it windy here I put tin on south and north sides. I recently got plywood sheets for free and will put them on the rest of pallets from inside.

 

[fuzzi]

my pig and goat shelters look similar. I used iron roof skeleton as iron is cheaper than wood here (I buy 2nd grade from a factory). I also buy 2nd grade tin which is half price. as it it windy here I put tin on south and north sides. I recently got plywood sheets for free and will put them on the rest of pallets from inside.

Photos!

 

[gtaus]

Hey @gtaus , look at this pallet project over on BYH!

Nicely done. I keep asking Dear Wife if we can get some goats, but she is against the idea. It's great that you got all that stuff for free.

my pig and goat shelters look similar. I used iron roof skeleton as iron is cheaper than wood here (I buy 2nd grade from a factory). I also buy 2nd grade tin which is half price. as it it windy here I put tin on south and north sides. I recently got plywood sheets for free and will put them on the rest of pallets from inside.

Sounds great. I love hearing about people reusing free stuff to make something of value.

Photos!

IIRC, @chickengr has some technical problems uploading photos. But yes, I would love to see some photos from @chickengr as well, when possible. Sounds like lots of great pallet and resourced projects on that property. Until then, I am glad to read about it.

 

[fuzzi]

Nicely done. I keep asking Dear Wife if we can get some goats, but she is against the idea. It's great that you got all that stuff for free.

Sounds great. I love hearing about people reusing free stuff to make something of value.

IIRC, @chickengr has some technical problems uploading photos. But yes, I would love to see some photos from @chickengr as well, when possible. Sounds like lots of great pallet and resourced projects on that property. Until then, I am glad to read about it.

It's not my pallet project, but I agree, it's nicely done! I'm going to keep this woman's pallet shelter in mind, as I am hoping to get a couple goats when I retire.

 

[gtaus]

Budget Table Saw Consideration

Speaking of pallet projects, I have been looking at getting a new budget table saw for this year. Menards currently has a sale on their least expensive table saw...

I checked it out yesterday in the store and it was built much better than I expected. I am really tempted to pull the trigger on that purchase. Wondering if anyone has any feedback on that table saw? The online reviews are very positive, mainly for the price versus value aspect. For pallet projects, I think it might do very well.

I have a 30-year-old Craftsman 10-inch metal table saw with a stand. It's still a great table saw, but it weighs a lot and takes up lots of floor space in my garage when I use it. I'm at that age where I should probably not be moving it by myself because of the size and weight.

Here is a Google picture of my era table saw. Mine is silver, not black, but looks like the same basic model. Very heavy and hard to move by myself...

Anyways, the table saw at Menards is very light. I would have no problem picking that up and moving it around. Plus, it does not have a stand, so I could store it on a workbench when not using it. That would free up lots of floor space in my garage.

Despite being a budget table saw, that Menard's table saw has many more features than my much more expensive older Craftsman table saw. I guess that is to be expected in about 30 years of improvements. I spent well over $300 on that Craftsman table saw 30 years ago. Considering it still works great today, I guess I got my money's worth out of it. But I am seriously considering downsizing my table saw and going with a new budget table saw.

Yeah, I've reached that age where lots of things in my life are being downsized. But it's all OK. I find I can do as much, or more, with smaller and lighter tools because the quality of them has improved so much over the years. And for my pallet project hobby, I find the budget tools more than adequate to get my projects done.

Free wood, cheap tools, lots of pallet projects on my list. What's not to like?

 

[avjudge]

I have a 30-year-old Craftsman 10-inch metal table saw with a stand. It's still a great table saw, but it weighs a lot and takes up lots of floor space in my garage when I use it.

That’s what my dad has except his is older. It sits in the middle of the workshop and when not in use has a slab of Homasote on top so it serves as an additional worktop.