2x4's Treated OR Untreated + Paint?

[Sublight]

Im about to start building a coop. I cant decide between treated 2x4's or untrated + paint.

Ive never seen a chicken eat a 2x4, so im thinking just untreated wood.

Just looking for thoughts.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Im about to start building a coop. I cant decide between treated 2x4's or untrated + paint.

Ive never seen a chicken eat a 2x4, so im thinking just untreated wood.

Just looking for thoughts.

I did untreated and didn't paint. I covered the OSB I used for the floor with Linoleum. The corner posts are treated since they are concreted into the ground. The siding was prepainted. I now use this coop as a brooder.

 

[Sublight]

Cool thanks.
I made a agreement with the wife. Ill build one top notch coop that will never have to be replaced. Ill design it from the floor up to be critter PROOF.
Im about to start using the savings we set aside for this and build our FT Knox.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Cool thanks.
I made a agreement with the wife. Ill build one top notch coop that will never have to be replaced. Ill design it from the floor up to be critter PROOF.
Im about to start using the savings we set aside for this and build our FT Knox.

The coop I showed pictures of is pretty predator proof. I haven't had thing other than my birds get into it.

 

[Sublight]

The coop I showed pictures of is pretty predator proof. I haven't had thing other than my birds get into it.

I like it. My wife gets real attached to the girls, and I don't like seeing her get upset. She is such a softy.

She wont let me retire any of our birds to "Camp Freezer" as you put it earlier. Initally she was ok with it. After a year or sir... Nope. they will die of old age.

However I did tell her that our current chickens are the only ones that will do that. Any new chickens get eaten when they quit laying, or grow a big red Comb.

 

[Redhead Rae]

However I did tell her that our current chickens are the only ones that will do that. Any new chickens get eaten when they quit laying, or grow a big red Comb.

Yup, they'll eat you out of house and home. I was lucky that our first birds are quite unpersonable.

 

[JavaLady]

What kind of paint are y'all using on the outside of the coop , to cover plywood ? On my 9year old coop, the plywood was unpainted and unsealed so it warped. My Chicken tractor is almost ''done" and I want to paint it with the red barn color and white paint trim. Hopefully, since this time the plywood doors will be painted, then maybe they won't warp ? I've also got roof overhang above coop doors too so that should help keep the doors dry. The painted ones look SO CUTE!! Surely just a good quality home exterior paint, right ?

 

[JavaLady]

I used untreated cedar beams for the bottom of my chicken tractor since that will be in contact with the soil and lots of moisture. Cedar is supposed to be slow to rot. My other boards are untreated. I've never had a chicken to EAT any of my coop wood. My Great Aunt had a plain wooden chicken coop that was white-washed yearly with a paint and powdered Lime mixture and it lasted about 40 years.
I have gone to great lengths to not leave any long screws or bolts sticking out inside the coop and the chicken tractor because if it is there, they will find it, and they will get scratched; that leads to infections. I used a small grinder to cut off and smooth out a few long screws. I am going to paint my chicken tractor and I just asked for paint recommendations. I will probably just go with a laytex-based exterior paint, ... i think !! ?

 

[IamRainey]

She wont let me retire any of our birds to "Camp Freezer" as you put it earlier. Initally she was ok with it. After a year or sir... Nope. they will die of old age.

I'm with your wife! Although I chose dual purpose breeds I can't imagine killing or eating any of our chickens. They feed us and they amuse us. They all have names and personalities. They're out there for however long they want to be.

 

[cholland]

You only need pressure treated where touching ground or if exposed and unpainted. When painting bare wood, I use a primer first, like Bulls Eye 123. Then any kind of latex exterior paint works great. Inside I have left it just primer white, works great.