Do you want to raise chickens in the backyard? Then a handy DIY chicken coop should be an ideal option for you. Hens are delicate and need a secure place to rest and live. Portable chicken coops are built to protect chickens from predators and thrilling weather.
Raising chickens in the backyard is an exciting and joyful experience. Poultry farmers or chicken breeders can’t raise the chickens without having housing options for the backyard.
A well-built wooden coop is necessary and beneficial for both farmers and chickens. It is good enough for chickens to stay safe and pleased. Today we are going to discuss how to build chicken coop out pallets.
What is a Chicken Coop?
A chicken coop is the handiest and strong wooden structure that your chickens live in. A well-built chicken coop makes chickens cheerful and active. The purpose of this chunky homestead is to protect chickens from bad weather, heat, and rain. An airy and ventilated chicken loop protects chickens from overheating.
Most of the backyard chicken keepers use pallet chicken coop to raise and protect their hens. Chickens are always tempting to all stray animals like foxes and cats. Inexpensive chicken coop is every farmer’s top priority.
You can keep your chickens out as much as you can during the daylight, but they have to be detained at night no matter what. Also, a coop helps hens to lay eggs without any distractions. Thus, it’s one cost-effective and premium option for every poultry man.
How to build a chicken coop out of Pallets
The most common query among farmers and poultry breeders is that, how to build a chicken coop? Well, building a top-notch chicken coop out of a pallet is not as difficult as it looks. Easy pallet chicken coop is every farmer’s top wish. It only takes a few weeks to make a top-class chicken coop. Here, proper guidance and instructions will be shared for you to build a premium chicken coop.
Step 1: Secure the required materials
First thing first, check all the required materials and review the plan. The fundamental materials of a chicken coop are Pallet and scrap wood.
Also, you need chicken wire, a door latch, a few hinges, and old metal scraps for the roofing. You can get scrap wood from any woodworking firm or nearby junk store.
A pallet is the most important thing that you need to buy. It’s always better to buy a bulk amount of pallets in lower deals. Leftover pallets are helpful because you can use them for your pallet projects. Pallets are versatile free-building materials so that you can also store them for your future plan.
Step 2: Coop Site preparation
Once review the plan and materials, you can start the site preparation. First of all, count how many chickens you have and check the project site properly. The size of your coop depends on your chickens and project site. 2 x 4 pieces of wood is perfect to build an ideal size pallet chicken coop.
Screw all the wood pieces together. Make sure all the pieces are precisely cut and screwed. Do not go to the next step until you complete the groundwork.
Step 3: Build the walls of the coop
Also, screw a row of pallets vertically on the top of the groundwork’s wooden perimeter. Arrange and align the pallets perfectly so that it stands in a beautiful shape. Add another raw pallet and adjust the size according to your plan.
Adjust the height in such a way that it is flexible enough to enter. Make sure all the pallets are properly trimmed. All the pallets need to be in a similar size and dimension. Otherwise, the essential durability of your chicken coop will be conceded.
Step 4: Screw the roofing
After completing the wall, the roofing work. This step is the most complicated one. You can use your preferred materials for roofing to make your coop creative. You can use old scrap metal to make the roof sturdy and plain.
Screw all the metal together and attach them to the second row of pallets. Make sure there is no hole or leakage in attaching the metal. Chickens love to stay in a dry and warm place. So make it dry and warm as much as you can.
Step 5: Build a door
To build the door base you need to screw a few scrap wood horizontally onto the wooden perimeter of your coop. For the frame, you need to attach two pieces of scrap wood on both sides of the entranceway.
Cover the inside areas of door frames with chicken wire. Chicken wire is very useful and it will protect your coop from the outside elements. For the final touch, attach the latch, handles, and hinges. Grease the hinge properly. It will help one to open and close the door without any trouble.
You can also buy a second-hand door from a local thrift store instead of spending time making a brand new door.
Step 6: Furnish with extra features
Add extra features to complete your chicken coop from pallets. These extra features are necessary to make your coop attractive and convenient. The fundamental thing is a Chicken Roost. Most of the chickens love to sleep in a high place.
Also, a perch can make them feel safe and relaxed. You can create many horizontal poles by using leftover wood and pallets. The Second thing is a Nesting Box which is a prior necessity of chickens.
Hens lay their eggs on a nesting box. Make it dark and warm as much as you can. Use leftover scrap wood, pallets, and rattle to make it secure for hens.
Keep in mind that hens will not lay eggs until they feel safe or warm. A walk-in door is also mandatory for chickens. Because no one wants to open and close the door all the time for their chickens.
You can build a small secondary door by using chicken wire and scrap wood. Afterward, fix them on the pallets. Don’t forget to use the hinges.
Learn more about When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs? Click Here
Things to consider before build a chicken Coop
A major problem that farmers face is the safety of chickens. Most chickens get attacked by predators. So a chicken coop needs to be strong and secure enough to protect chickens from all predator’s attacks. Besides this, following aspects need to be considered before buying or building a DIY pallet chicken coop.
Design and space:
Backyard chicken keepers prefer to construct a simple design coop. On the other hand, some chicken breeders prefer to buy or build an existing structured coop. As an example, garden shed chicken coop is most affordable for one. But, before you build or buy a chicken coop make sure it has enough space to contain nesting boxes, roost, feeder, and waterer.
Location:
Location plays an inevitable role in terms of constructing a chicken coop. If you want to keep your coop clean and hygienic then location is the most primary consideration. Because a chicken poop should be built on a high edge. It will protect the chicken poop from drowning. So, it is safe to build a chicken coop away from large plants and leaves to make the backyard flock secure.
Materials:
Materials are also a considerable feature because it’s used to build the structure. You can’t construct a coop with plastic or any delicate materials. However, you can build the coop with a variety of materials. Plywood is one best option to make a reliable and durable chicken coop.
Furthermore, with plywood, you can easily cut holes and make the parts. Also, wire fencing of the coop needs to be reliable so that unwanted predators cannot break the fence and attack the birds as well.
Coop Size:
Most of the time people overlook this feature and the birds don’t get enough space to fly and clash. Overcrowding in a chicken coop can encourage chickens to fight and clash more.
Also, a narrow chicken coop is harmful to birds because they can’t get adequate access to food and water. Accurate-sized and structured coops are mandatory to keep the internal place clean and hygienic. Dirty and narrow spaces invite fecal matter and bacteria inside the coop.
Tips for Good Chicken Coop
Most people avoid the construction partly because they find it difficult. Elementary woodworking expertise and little knowledge is enough to build wooden coop. The following tips are helpful to build a great chicken coop.
- The prime location of a chicken coop should be beneath an old shade tree. Because its branches and leaf shade can keep the flock cool and airy.
- Nesting area of chickens should be on top. 2 to 3 ground will be best for your chicken. So, your birds can move and run easily inside the coop.
- Built the walls tall enough so that birds can accommodate themselves easily.
- Build the chicken coop with a proper plan of cost size and portability. Never build the door backside of the coop, otherwise, all the chickens will go out through the back door.
- The coop needs to be airy and ventilated and that’s why you should be built two or three sliding windows.
- Hens love to roost on the woodpiles and tops of waterers or feeders. Build 6 to 10 inches roosting space for chickens. But, make sure the roosting poles are not taller than 4 feet.
- Floors of the coop need to be strong and durable. This will keep the chickens safe from raccoons, foxes, and other predators. For better protection, you can add electric net fencing.
- It’s necessary to maintain the cleanliness inside the coop. Build the coop with an easy-to-clean design.
Got Some Questions?
01. Is it cheaper to buy or build a chicken coop?
This is the most demanding and common question among people. Buying a new chicken coop from the market is not an affordable option. If you buy all the materials and essentials of a chicken coop it will cost half of what you have to spend on a ready-made chicken coop. So, it’s wise to build your chicken coop rather than spend dollars on a ready-made coop. Yet, there are several options of inexpensive chicken coop available in the market.
02. How much money does it take to build a chicken coop?
Total construction cost of a chicken coop depends on the style, size, materials, and configuration of the coop. The average cost range that you have to spend to build a chicken coop is around $300- $2,000. If I have to say one average cost of construction of a chicken coop that is $650. For an 18sq. ft. chicken coop one needs to spend almost $600. Walk-in design coop will cost around $300 – $1,000. A-Frame design is the cheapest one which will cost almost $200 – $300. One has to spend $1,000 – $3,000 to build an all-in-one chicken coop.
03. Is it easy to build a chicken coop?
Assembling a chicken coop is quite easy and simple. Proper knowledge about size, materials, and woodworking skills can make your task easy. Blueprints, material list and building instructions are provided with easy pallet chicken coop plans. If all the instructions are followed properly then you can build a low-cost chicken coop.
04. How many chickens can you put in a 4×8 coop?
4 sq. feet is an ideal size for the chicken coop. So, if you want to build or buy a 4×8 coop then you can keep 8 chickens in the coop. Although, the number of chickens can vary on conditions, location, breed of chicken. Height is not counted in-terms of gaining capacity. According to the floor space, you can keep chickens as much you want.
05. What is the best ground cover for a chicken run?
Ground cover is very important for chickens’ movement and run. A suitable and comfortable ground cover helps chickens to move easily. It can be made from wood chips, straw, and grass. Though the organic ground cover is best for chicken health. Though it can break down quickly. Most people use plain sand as a ground cover. So choose materials for a ground cover that is easy to scratch and dig for chickens.
06. How much room do you need for 20 chickens?
For 20 chickens you need a 10X10 chicken coop. Though a 10X10 chicken coop can contain 22 chicken without any issue. But you should use a 10X10 chicken coop for your convenience. It will give more space for your chickens to fly and run.
07. How high does a chicken coop need to be off the ground?
If you have a minimal number of chickens then it’s totally okay to build a small chicken coop. Although, you need to build a large chicken coop for large numbers of chickens. According to the sources, one should buy or build a chicken coop 1 foot off the ground. Yet, 8-10 inches in height are quite enough for a chicken coop. Just make sure that the coop is high enough to offer some airflow.
Final Say
A wooden chicken coop is the safeguard of your flock. This permanent shelter can keep your chicken happy and secure. So before you plan to raise chicken make sure you have enough space to build DIY chicken coops. I promise: building a chicken coop is a lot easier than building a home for your flock. It’s wise to spend time in building your own chicken coop rather than buying a readymade coop from the market.
Chicken coops are durable and roomy enough to give a total enclosure to contain all the hens. Nest boxes, roosting space, proper ventilation, and shades are enough to keep the chickens relaxed and happy.
How to build a chicken coop out of pallets might be one common question among chicken breeders, But with the help of this article, you don’t have to think about this anymore. So, without wasting any time, start planning to build your own dream coop.
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