A while back, we decided it was time we upgrade our hay feeding experience. Sure, the goats had access to the hay they needed, but we found our initial setup less than ideal. That’s why we turned to pallets to build a new feeding structure. Today, we’re talking about how we built our pallet hay feeder for goats and why we think this is the most cost-effective way to build a feeding structure of your own.
Building with Pallets
Building with pallets can be tricky. You are somewhat limited off the bat by the length of the 2x4s in the pallets you’re using. Furthermore, you need to mind the pallet boards themselves. Stripping these boards off can be time-consuming work, especially if you’re trying to keep them in tact for use on your project. Despite this, we decided pallets would offer a convenient and effective way to build our new hay feeder. So, we started planning out the pallet hay feeder.
In initial planning, I was uncertain how tall I wanted to build the structure. After some deliberation, it seemed the foundation would need 4 pallets to build a wide and deep enough structure. From there, I debated whether I would double that, but ultimately that seemed an inefficient approach. Instead, I decided it made more sense to break apart additional pallets and just use the 4 pallets as the base. In total, I used at least 8 pallets and also dipped into some leftover pallet boards for the siding. So, how did we go about this?
The Overall Construction
Overall, the foundation of our pallet hay feeder required 4 full pallets. For the easiest installation, we’d recommend using these 4 pallets without stripping any boards off. With this plan in place, I simply put 2 pallets next to one another and used screws to secure them together. Next, I set up the 2 final pallets perpendicular to the double-wide pallet. This way, I created a double-wide U-shape.
Once the U-shape was constructed, I had to add some 2x4s that were stripped from additional pallets. These were added atop the pallets to provide a more rigid structure and to allow for a taller footprint. Next, I had to measure and cut 2x4s to build additional framing. Since this is an open-air structure, I decided to a simple lean-to roof design. On the far side, I used full-sized 2x4s from the pallet. On the back end, I cut the pallets roughly in half (to be clear, I measured precisely, but you get the idea).
Also along the back, I build some additional framing throughout the pallets to ensure the structure would be solid. Finally, I added a couple 2x4s to go long-ways across the top. On the tall side, I had to splice two 2x4s together to create a long enough piece of wood for the job. Finally, I used all the stripped pallet boards to close in the siding and to create some additional siding up top. With all the siding in place, I was free to connect the roof panels I purchased from Amazon.
The Actual Pallet Hay Feeder
When all was said and done with the structure, the final piece of the puzzle was actually putting in a spot for the pallet hay feeder. See, the structure itself might have been built from pallets, but we also wanted to use that to store the hay. This was the easy part. We simply attached some extra chicken wire over some of the pallet and installed the pallet at an angle. In the bottom, I inserted some extra pieces of 2×4 to catch hay and create a solid bottom. From there, it was ready for use, as you can see in the images!
What Else Can You Build?
Pallets can be an exceptional building material. And, since it’s much less expensive than buying new lumber, it is extremely budget-friendly. In fact, we made our goat milking stand from pallets as well. We also used pallets as the walls (and pallet-2x4s as the roof frame) for our chicken coop. Right now, the pallet hay feeder is the last construction item on our list using pallets, but that doesn’t mean we won’t turn to them in the future.
What else would you build with pallets? Looking to get a step-by-step guide on how we built this hay feeder? Let us know in the comments below! Until next time, we’ll see you around the homestead.