converted deer blind coop?

[kari_dawn]

Okay, so I finally got my hands on a deer blind. I will have to paint it and add roosts, but it looks like my nest box may already be the right height to just scoot up to the openings in the blind...that would be sweet! I hope this works out well...I have been looking for something to use for a LONG time, but all the chicken stuff for sale is always the wrong size or the wrong price.

 

[kari_dawn]

what should I use to paint/seal the wood? It is just press board for the most part. It has corugated metal that I need to turn into a roof, but I figure if I paint it inside and out it will help it last longer. What should I use?

 

[Moogie]

Hi Kari! I'm in the same situation as you, but I'm converting a large shipping crate to a coop for my 13 hens.

We have no carpentry skills whatsoever, but are making slow but steady progress. The windows and french door are in, and today we put in the roost, poop deck and a chicken tunnel (Chunnel) to connect the pop door to our hoop coop - which, BTW I got on CraigsList for $175 and yes, the materials would have cost double that. So that rude person who contacted you was quite uninformed.

Back to your question, I read one BYC'er who recommended Valspar Barn Paint. Lowe's carries it and I bought some today for $22/gallon. It comes in both red and white, is self-priming, safe for livestock and, according to the OP, covers in one coat. They recommended using the oil based rather than latex version since it's so much more durable and said just to use a disposable brush and roller, and you're done!

I was going to use ooops paint (mistinted) but finally decided it was worth the $$ to get the barn paint since I wouldn't have the extra step and cost of priming nor have to put on multiple coats for even coverage.

And if you don't want red, another BYC'er swears by Urethane deck paints. No primer, high solids which means high gloss. Any color you want and last forever. It's what they put on porch floors so $35 a gallon and one gallon covers 350 to 400 sqft. One coat and impervious to water. OK, actually on raw wood one coat will only cover about 300 SQFT, second coat if ya want one covers 400 SQFT. Yes, it's oil based but all good, one disposable brush and one roller cover your throwing out after. (sorry, but I don't know who originally posted these recommendations...)

I wish you all the best with your deer blind coop and you MUST post pics when you finish - i can hardly wait to see it! I'm sure lots of people could use the information and be inspired to try it for themselves!

 

[kari_dawn]

I think I know exactly which shipping crates you are talking about! I was almost tempted to get one of those instead, but I had no way to bring something that big home by myself, or any way to get it set up the way I wanted it, so I went with the deer blind. It fit in the bed of my truck, already had the start to some windows cut out, and a hinged door. Yes, it's a bit smaller, but it is something I can handle by myself, AND it fits in the run I already have nicely.

I started another thread about my coop because I needed to know the next step. What to seal my coop with. I used caulk to seal any possible drafty spots, and so far have sprayed the floor with rustoleum. It is supposed to dry super hard (my grandpa used to use it on the farm). I have posted some pictures of my progress there. I think I have seen pics of your coop, and man, those shipping boxes are great! I wish I could handle one! Here is a link to my other thread with some progress pictures...not bad for something I am doing by myself on my spare time!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=603779&p=3

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I usually use exterior paint but others may know more as far as what to use to preserve it.

 

[kari_dawn]

okay, so I went with an exterior paint primer/sealer, and rustoleum for the floor. Here is what I have so far.

I figured I would paint it before I started cutting the windows larger and adding roosts. For now, I think I am just going to keep my old free standing nest box because of the size of my new coop.

You can see the corner braces in the second picture. I think I am going use them to add a 2 x 6 along the length for a flat surface roost, and find a way to add some dowel rods for bar roosts so they can choose whichever one they like better. I don't know how to cut the windows larger or how to cut ventilation slots at the top...I will figure it out though.

 

[kari_dawn]

Okay, well Ole Rooster gave me a really cool idea to put lap-siding in the deer blind, but I did not have enough old fence pieces, so in the name of saving money that I don't have, I had to paint it with a gallon if mis-tint paint from the hardware store. My dad helped me screw down the roof, I added a couple of roosts, but I still haven't gotten the vents added, or windows enlarged, but here it is in it's new, blue glory.

Im super disappointed that I didn't have enough stuff to do lap siding as I think that would have looked darling, but hey, blue isn't bad either

I think instead of glass or plexiglass for the windows, I am just going to double the size of them, and create sideways shutters out of the cut outs. Hing the top, and the bottom, and let them meet up in the middle. We will see how that goes...

 

[kuntrygirl]

Looking good!