Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[Smokerbill]

I have a similar setup but my sliding door and the rope are all inside my coop. I normally get lots of snow here in northern Minnesota and I knew that I would be better off with the sliding door inside the coop, as well as the rope system because I did not want to have to deal with a frozen rope and stuck pop door on the outside.

My coop is totally protected from rain and snow since the entire thing is underneath an overhanging metal roof. Because of that I was able to use flat sections of OSB for the roof the coop. No need for a waterproof, slanted roof.

I designed my coop to have the big doors in the back. I have to open them to access the food and water the the pop door rope - which are all inside the coop. I don't actually have to go into the coop to service the daily food and water, and the rope is right at the inside door opening.

The secure run is on the opposite side of the coop, and I leave half of the coop wall on that side totally open 24/7, a big 4'x4' opening for chickens to go in and out of the coop from the secure run. It provides for a lot of ventilation, too.

My sliding pop door has only frozen shut a few times over four winters, even though it is inside the coop, but I can only imagine how much it would freeze if the sliding door was on the outside.

No rain or snow can touch the coop, so it'll never freeze shut.

But I can understand what a pain it would be to have to screw on/off the pop door each time. Is there some reason you did not put the door on a simple hinge and then use a hook and eye to hold it in the open position?

I considered doing that, but I'd still have to go into the day run, sidestepping poop bombs on the woodchips. I want to be able to access the pull rope that controls the pop door from outside the run.

The door I use to access the day run (the human door) is simply a pallet standing on edge. It's "hinge" is a single loop of rope that attaches one top corner of the pallet to a post. Extremely low tech. LOL. I'll get a picture of it as it is now. I'll probably upgrade it to a door of some kind with steel hinges someday. But so far the pallet-door has worked just fine.

 

[Smokerbill]

The sliding door is up and running on the coop now.

The door panel is a piece of cement panel house siding, so it's heavy enough that I won't have to be concerned of raccoons lifting it up. I got the siding in the trash pile of a couple new homes being built nearby.

I used a little bit of pallet wood, along with some lumber I picked up at a local business. All free. I had to search around the shop for a couple of eye screws and finally found them. I already had the rope.

When the door drops down to the bottom it drops into a 1 inch deep slot, behind that horizontal board at the bottom. There might be a gap at the bottom a mouse could slip through but I'm not worried about meeces.

I need to replace the rope with something less stretchy. A little pulley above the door instead of the eye screw would make it work a lot slicker, too. Maybe I'll get or find one someday.

My door into the run is that pallet standing on end on the right side of the coop.

 

[fuzzi]

I have no idea what wax on the threads is. Could you please explain that to me?

I was thinking of melting some wax on the metal waterer's threads, so the mason jar screws on more easily.

 

[gtaus]

My coop is totally protected from rain and snow since the entire thing is underneath an overhanging metal roof.

Sounds like your setup is a lot different than mine. My coop is in the backyard all by itself, exposed to all the elements.

I think you will really like having a rope and pulley type of system for the pop door. Having it on the outside of the run so you don't have to go inside all the time makes it much more convenient.

 

[gtaus]

The sliding door is up and running on the coop now.

Looking good!

The door panel is a piece of cement panel house siding, so it's heavy enough that I won't have to be concerned of raccoons lifting it up. I got the siding in the trash pile of a couple new homes being built nearby.

Yeah, that cement panel looks big and heavy. Be careful you don't drop it any of your chickens and break their backs.

When the door drops down to the bottom it drops into a 1 inch deep slot, behind that horizontal board at the bottom.

That's what I did with my (much smaller and lighter) pop door. I figure even a smart racoon would have a problem digging into the slot to lift the door.

I need to replace the rope with something less stretchy. A little pulley above the door instead of the eye screw would make it work a lot slicker, too. Maybe I'll get or find one someday.

I had to replace some pulleys from a riding lawn mower belt system. They got reamed out and were off balance. Of course, I kept them for some future project. They would probably be perfect for something like you are putting together.

I have lots of half-good stuff looking for a new life in another project. I don't throw much of that stuff away. I grew up with my Great Depression Era grandfather and he never got rid of anything. Grandma would wash plastic bags and reuse them and grandpa was never seen throwing out a bent nail that we could pound straight and use again. It was just a way of life for them. Kind of rubbed off on me as well even though I have more disposable money than they ever did.

You might be able to make a small pulley out of a block of scrap lumber...

 

[gtaus]

I was thinking of melting some wax on the metal waterer's threads, so the mason jar screws on more easily.

I don't know. My brooder chick waterers are plastic. I've never had a problem screwing on the mason jars.

 

[fuzzi]

I don't know. My brooder chick waterers are plastic. I've never had a problem screwing on the mason jars.

I have a metal feeder base that screws on fine, but the metal waterer base doesn't want to screw on to the mason jar. I probably got a defective one. I also have a quail waterer base made of plastic, attaches easily.

 

[Sally PB]

I probably got a defective one. I also have a quail waterer base made of plastic, attaches easily.

I have two of the plastic waterers of that style. One leaks, one doesn't. I got the leaky one first, and thought that I kept screwing it on wrong. I got the second one, and it worked just fine. I threw the first one in the recycle bin.

 

[chickengr]

I have mine on an upside down bowl or a brick. Something to raise it up above the bedding a couple inches

I do the same but they are always faster than me. I probably need a big brooder with less chicks.

 

[chickengr]

I have mini water founts with mason jars which I use for chicks. They do indeed make a mess with the water. I clean it out once or twice a day as needed. I don't know of any shortcuts with keeping clean water in the coop.

Here is a picture close to what I have, except my founts are plastic...

View attachment 3812835

I am still using the same chick brooder equipment I purchased 30+ years ago. It still works...

I would have chicks sitting on the top of the jar and pooping down