Pallets are cheap and some can even be obtained for free. Some stores just drop their pallets in the back side of their building. You don’t need to worry if you take some or even all of it because these stores will pay garbage collection companies to dump their pallets elsewhere. You’re helping them while getting free stuff.
This is just a general guide. Feel free to tweak according to the amount of pallets you have.
The materials you need are as follows:
• Wood scraps
• Wooden Pallets
• Chicken wire
• Hinges
• Latch
• Roofing materials
• Nest boxes and roosts
The tools required are:
• Screw drill or hammer
• Screws or nails
• Saw
Keep in mind:
The amount of pallets you have will dictate how big your coop can be. It’s better if you make a larger coop than what you originally thought because you’ll end up with more chickens in the long run.
Steps:
1. Start by building the base. Build it at least 1 foot off the ground. So that when it rains or floods, your chickens won’t drown. Nail strips of wood in the end of the base of the pallets for the insects can’t get in underneath your coop.
2. Next is build the support structure of your coop. Make sure your structure is sturdy and firm. You don’t want your coop to get destroyed by some heavy wind easily if a storm comes.
3. After that you can now start building the side walls. It’s better to have pallets with same sizes. Build at least two rows of pallet walls. If you don’t have power tools and screws, you can use nails and hammer.
4. Then, build the roof and its support structure. Use the wood in building the support for the roof but you can use the pallets to. Also, if you don’t have metal roof, you can use the pallets as your roof too. Just put tarp and screw the corners and edges well so that water won’t get inside your chicken coop. This will keep your chickens warm and dry.
5. Build a coop door with the excess wood. Frame the door with wood and then use chicken wire to fill between the gaps. Install the latch and hinges afterwards. If you think there’s no predator that prey on chickens in your area, you can skip this, and just have an open door for your chickens.
6. Add the nest boxes and roosts. You can buy nest boxes, or you can create your own. Place the roosts behind the nest boxes to keep the hens from sleeping in the nest boxes. Though, just like cats, chickens love boxes for some reason.
7. Optional. If predators are a threat in your area, you can build fences. Put slabs if the situation requires. You can put mulch in the coop floor. It keeps the odor down. A plywood or linoleum for your flooring can help you clean your coop easier. These are optional, but these help you maintain your coops’ cleanliness and security.
Now, there would be some eggs waiting for you to harvest every morning.
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