Base Plans for New Coop

[FredSG]

Hi all,

Just wondering what would be the best wood - pine or pressure treated 2" x 6 x 12' boards for establishing the base of my planned coop? I'm hoping to slightly modify the Wichita Cabin Coop to fit my site area.

Also want to use a cedar stain, so would I stain the pine and/or pressure treated boards? However, my thinking is that the arsenic in the pressure treated boards could be harmful to my chickens . . . yes, no, if they pick through the stain on the pressure treated boards.

Plan to have the wood base resting on paving blocks sized at 6' wide x 12' long.

Would appreciate any suggestions.

DottieM G/FredSG

 

[Lookin4GoodLife]

I don't think you'll find arsenic in pressure treated lumber any more. At least not what you'd typically find at HD or Lowe's. I could be wrong, but here's what the EPA says about it:

http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/cca/

If you use pressure treated, wait a couple months for the wood to dry out before you stain it. I don't think it matters as much with stain as with paint, but you don't want to seal moisture in.

 

[iwiw60]

Pressure-treated wood, of any kind, is very toxic to chickens.

 

[vehve]

Pressure-treated wood, of any kind, is very toxic to chickens.

If they eat it. But if they are gnawing on the wood, there are more things wrong with a coop than material selections. The sawdust you have to be careful with though.

 

[recfsh]

I've yet to see any of my flock show any interest in pecking at their new pressure treated run.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

You can stain pressure treated wood and shouldn't wait to do so. Painting is another story but stain is good to go. We use to use the water based stains for PT boards first time then good oil stain in two years but anymore you wont find much oil out there. There are some modified "oil" stains that are water cleanup that seem to work well and recommend you use that. Cabot's Austrailian Timber Oil is probably the easiest for you to locate. The Honey Teak color is the cedar stain color your looking for in that Cabot line. Forgot to add, the blue lid is the modified oil, they are phasing out the pure oil so you sometimes see the normal metal lid on shelves. Can't mix them together.

 

[Yellowcoop1]

Modern day pressure treated lumber is no longer toxic to living things. So I have been told by a friend who is a contractor. If someone knows something different Id like to know

 

[vehve]

Modern day pressure treated lumber is no longer toxic to living things. So I have been told by a friend who is a contractor. If someone knows something different Id like to know

Well nothing too bad shouldn't be washed off it, and it shouldn't put out fumes, but I don't suggest making it a large part of your diet. Copper based compounds are used, and have been for the past ten years, in stead of the old arsenic based ones, so it's a lot better. And I at least don't see any problem in building a coop with it. The same lumber is used in children's playgrounds as well, and if they can survive through it, I assume a chickens can too.

And like I said earlier, the saw dust should be disposed of properly. You should avoid breathing it while sawing, and don't leave any for the chickens to find.