Grow Your Own Magazine

lynda66 · #1 (**permalink**) 28-09-2008, 10:29 PM

ok i decided to start a new post, just er cos this one is titled pallet chicken house, just in case anyone alse wants to make a cock up ....... i mean a beautiful chicken house too.

ok picture 1

thats a pallet

it's an extra big pallet, about 8 foot x 4 foot ish

leaving the pallet intact, i've nailed some planks across one side at right angles to the cross pieces, obviously i used a right angle to measure that against *nods* , didn't bother measuring any of the planks, just nail them on, then run a circular saw along the edge ........ voila, one straight line with planks all the same size

see pic 3.

oh yeah, as it's the floor, i bashed a couple of extra supports through the middle of the pallet, as it was a bit springy.

picture 2 thats the wire sheeting, for the run.

picture 3 after running the circular saw along the edge, it looks almost like a floor ....... i've left the end pieces intentionally long, cos i er haven't quite worked out how it will fit together, and i may need to attach something to them ..... (i do have a plan honest)

picture 4 ok it might look like chaos ...... ok it's chaos

picture 5

another full length pallet ..... i chose the big ones, so i don't have to build a bigger house if i get more chickens, it will be big enough for all of them, should be easy to adapt it to a small pallet size, and the advantage of having a double layer, is that it doesn't matter if your nails are too long, or theres a few small gaps/ knot holes as it will have a lining inside, and i guess you could put insulation inside too and fill any gaps if you're a perfectionist.

this pallet is for the back wall , i picked planks that were about 6 foot in length, so i can stand upright inside it, which will make it easier to clean.

lynda66 · #2 (**permalink**) 28-09-2008, 10:35 PM

picture 6,

the back wall with all the planks on, i will trim off the planks to the same length tomorrow, then time to start on the nest box, or maybe the front panel.

MaureenHall · #3 (**permalink**) 28-09-2008, 10:46 PM

Ooooooooooooooooooooo it's coming along

Clever you. Dying to see the next installment. By the way, did you forget to attach picture 6 or is it one of those invisible ones?

lynda66 · #4 (**permalink**) 28-09-2008, 10:56 PM

dunno how that happened, it said i could only upload 4 pics, then did 5 ..... edited now.

Snadger · #5 (**permalink**) 28-09-2008, 11:09 PM

Like the look of the wire sheeting.......I bet that wasn't cheap!

lynda66 · #6 (**permalink**) 28-09-2008, 11:57 PM

it was, cost me a grand total of 4 cups of tea

see that huge roof out the back? its part of an industrial estate they are building, there used to be a big hill out the back,and loads of trees and waste ground ...... but they removed most of it, and put up one of those cage with rocks in, type walls, it's some of their spare cages, they aren't complete sheets unfortunately, but they are fastened securely between panels ......... aint no nasty mr fox getting my babies.

the pallets have contained the roofing materials, so they just chuck them on the hill at the back, and we go and bring them up to the garden. ........ so far the shed has cost me 4 brews, and some nails, i got the hinges, handles and locks the other day, came to a grand total of about £15

Flummery · #7 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 10:53 AM

Gabions. Cages with rock in. I think. My son built some when he was working at a local Country Park. If I send you the tea bags, will you get me some?

Well done lass.

lynda66 · #8 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 01:45 PM

oooooo i'm always up for tea bags

they have loads of gabions left .... (doesn't that sound posh, i may call it the gabion estate) i'm going to get some more, so that i can build another house on the allotment when i eventually get one,(and if i can be brave enough to have some meat chickens, ducks and i've even thought about rabbits) ....... can never have too many cages

well todays installment is ....... it's raining, so as it may not be a good idea to use circular saws in the rain, i might not get much done today

....... i hate it when i'm on a roll, then rain stops play...... it does look like the sun may come out later though, so fingers crossed.

lynda66 · #9 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 07:34 PM

still raining and horribly windy, so i went to the post office and for some cat food, and have sat twiddling my thumbs most of the day, it's all getting wet out there, would have gone out but it's cold and blowing a gale too ....... oh well fingers crossed for tomorrow being brighter

MaureenHall · #10 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 08:21 PM

Forecast here is for rain tomorrow, followed by light rain (what's the difference? it's still wet whatever). So, looks like no outside work for me tomorrow either. Might do the h word (whispers - housework)

frias · #11 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 10:25 PM

Housework YUK! We also have showers forecast for tomorrow so might have to do some. Today has been lovely and sunny though. Perfect weather for chatting to the chooks.

lynda66 · #12 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 11:58 AM

it's raining and blowing a gale again today, and i'm off to physio, so yet another wasted day, usually cant move after all the stretching ........ fingers crossed for some sun on wednesday, it's so frustrating .... it's the kind of horrible cold windy rain that soaks you in 5 minutes

frias · #13 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 01:04 PM

Shame about the weather Linda. It's windy here but rain hasn't arrived as yet.

I think you are amazing building this project yourself. I hope the physio visit isn't because of your building work.

lynda66 · #14 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 01:14 PM

no it's cos i have fibromyalgia, though i might have to pay a visit to A&E while i'm at the hospital, fell down stairs the other day, and i think there is a possibility i might have broke my toe ...... it's still kinda 3 times the size it should be and is kinda crunchy at the joint when i try to wriggle it

oh well, got another 9 toes lol

it's a case of need ..... i NEED chickens and ducks, and no one else is gonna build it lol

lynda66 · #15 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 08:46 PM

well i finally got back from hospital with my toe all strapped up

wonder if it will get the sympathy vote from son, and he'll come home and finish it for me

lynda66 · #16 (**permalink**) 01-10-2008, 04:33 PM

right, the nest box is nearly done, just needs trimming down and a roof, i could only ignore the rain for so long, but now i've run out of nails, so need a trip to town to get some more

i managed to get a crate from the tile shop up the road, it was originally going to be the house, but i decided it wasn't big enough if i wanted ducks and chickens, so it will be a nice big nest box now. once it has some partitions in it, and i've cut the front off and attached it to the house i'm sure it will be nice and snug.

I've used small pallets for this.

Snadger · #17 (**permalink**) 01-10-2008, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lynda66

right, the nest box is nearly done, just needs trimming down and a roof, i could only ignore the rain for so long, but now i've run out of nails, so need a trip to town to get some more

i managed to get a crate from the tile shop up the road, it was originally going to be the house, but i decided it wasn't big enough if i wanted ducks and chickens, so it will be a nice big nest box now. once it has some partitions in it, and i've cut the front off and attached it to the house i'm sure it will be nice and snug.

I've used small pallets for this.

With a nest box like that I ddin't realise you were keeping ostrich Lynda!

Only joking, good on you for having a go at making it yourself and I look forward to seeing the finished result! The tea bags are in the post btw!

lynda66 · #18 (**permalink**) 01-10-2008, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snadger

With a nest box like that I ddin't realise you were keeping ostrich Lynda!
Only joking, good on you for having a go at making it yourself and I look forward to seeing the finished result! The tea bags are in the post btw!

oooooooo i like ostrich,very tasty and healthy i hadn't thought of that, wonder if i can turn it into 'poultry' for allotment regs.

i reckon it will be big enough for 6 nest boxes, i'm partly thinking ahead, and partly thinking that ducks don't roost like chickens and prefer to lie down (apparently) so hopefully there will be enough room for them to sleep and the chickens to lay eggs, only problem is that i will have to go into the shed for the eggs, although i had planned to put a lift up lid on it.

anyway, i might get a goose

this one will probably end up on the allotment eventually, but i just wanted something big enough for every option, i could even split the run and cage into 4 and and it will be very easy to make a broody house and run out of part of it or even have chipmunks if i wanted, ...... not that i do, but i like keeping my options open ....... especially when the options are free

i'll make the blokes a brew then *wonders if i can swap a brew for some concrete, sand and gravel

Bephlam · #19 (**permalink**) 01-10-2008, 10:33 PM

Looking good Lynda...I'm very impressed!!!

lynda66 · #20 (**permalink**) 02-10-2008, 02:27 PM

%^&*%$£ rain ...... i'm half way through the front panel now but it keeps peeing down .... it's very frustrating