Diy pallet breeding pens?

[Scott214]

I want to create some more breeding pens without it costing me a fortune. I will only have 3-4 birds or maybe 5 depending on bantam in them. I will create the runs with post and fencing but I wanted to see if anyone had any experience with building the coop portion with pallets for their breeding pens. I also was thinking tin roofing. I live in West Virginia so I have to think about the cold. I was thinking covering most of the sides with a tarp in the winter and leaving it more open in the summer. Any help is greatly appreciated!
-scott

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I wouldn't really worry about cold other than perhaps restricting air flow from the west (prevailing winds). I have huge windows on both the east and west walls in breeding units allowing wind to blow right through. Good fresh air.
I'd probably do a post and frame structure and just attach the slats securely enough that raccoons and coyotes can't pry them away.
My biggest concern about using pallet slats to make a wall is if there are gaps large enough for weasels/mink to enter.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Okay, just accidentally deleted post.

Anyways, you can go to "advanced search" select articles, search pallets, and select the "small coops" category to get this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/25054404/?q=pallet&t=ams_article&o=date&c[articlecat]=18

I happen to like this one: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/fates-crooked-chicken-shack.66042/

And you don't want to tarp off your coop in the winter. This article has a pretty good explanation of why: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop.47774/

 

[Scott214]

I really love that suggestion! It’s exactly what I wanna do but smaller I’m thinking two pallets wide not three. When I get started I’ll make sure to post my experiences. Right now I have 14 pallets that are in great condition so hopefully that might be enough for 1-2 side by side coops. If not I can get more. I wanna make sure it’s predator proof for sure. Does anyone have and good ideas about maybe up cycling something to make doors with and windows? I love to bring life to old objects.

 

[PirateGirl]

Ok, it took a few days for me to get a picture for you and find your post again. I just built an isolation pen out of pallets this past week because my drake does not want to play nice with the new ducklings at this time. I added on to my existing structure to make things easy. For me this may or may not be temporary, quick and easy build was the important part. I will reassess as we continue to work on integration.

In my photo, the large AFrame covered in fencing is the existing run. The small wood AFrame is the existing duck house. The isolation pen shares one fence wall with the existing run and the exterior of the existing house forms one wall of the isolation pen, so I only had to build 2 walls, I attached one pallet to the existing house and one to the existing frame of run. If you take a 2"x4" it can slot into the side of the pallet and gives you something substantial to attach the pallets to instead of just the thin wood they are made of. One of mine is mounted at an angle, since I am attaching the existing angled structure, but I do like this because it creates shade and a wind block. Depending on your pallets, you may or may not have larger gaps that either need to be covered with fencing or scrap wood so birds cannot escape and critters cannot get in. Mine does not have much in the way of a roof right now because I am always out there when the ducklings are outdoors to make sure things are going well.

Also the original AFrame duck house on the right was made completely from old pallets, but the ones I got were different to the traditional style. Essentially the floor is one pallet and each of the angled walls is a pallet. One whole triangle side is a hinged piece of plywood that opens down and becomes a door/ramp.

 

[Scott214]

I’m sorry it took me a day or two to reply I’ve been busy building and hatching and having new additions! But I think I did the most generic design but I really like it and the best part all of it was free!