Coop plans

[elmo]

Quote:
Was it polycarbonate or plastic? The polycarbonate is supposed to withstand hail.

http://www.palramamericas.com/Suntuf

 

[Sinfonian]

What would folks suggest painting the roof to make it water proof and moss resistant? How about the inside? Can I just use exterior grade house paint so it's easy to clean?

Thanks for all the help!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Or Pressure treated wood for surfaces that touch the ground.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Dont know about moss... we only get about 7-10 inches of rain per year.

What about using Kilz interior primer. Then you can paint over with a gloss paint of your choice in colors. Kilz is an excellent bathroom primer that is great for mold and moisture areas. Gloss paint or semigloss is pretty much washable.

If mold is a problem you can also use a home pressure sprayer loaded up with vinegar. Great disenfectant and anti fungal.

 

[Aimiel]

perchie.girl :

Or Pressure treated wood for surfaces that touch the ground.

I read on BackyardChickens.com this morning that you're not supposed to use pressure treated (at least the toxic type) around livestock, especially chickens, who like to peck at and try to eat just about anything. Now the newer pressure treatment chemicals aren't harmful, as copper, creosote and other nasties were in the old style.​

 

[gsim]

Quote:
I read on BackyardChickens.com this morning that you're not supposed to use pressure treated (at least the toxic type) around livestock, especially chickens, who like to peck at and try to eat just about anything. Now the newer pressure treatment chemicals aren't harmful, as copper, creosote and other nasties were in the old style.

There are toxins in the pressure treated lumber. However, a lot depends on the space/room chooks have whether or not they peck at it. My run has 6 creosote poles set in cement. I have a coop that sits on 6 creosote legs, and has an additional 4 presure-treated legs. I even coated the pr treated ones with motor oil to preserve them even longer. I have a stoop/porch that is around 4 ft x 5 st and is all pr treated as are their walkboards both inside and outside of the coop. Those too are coated with motor oil to help them last longer. In the 20 months I have had chooks, I have not seen them even once pecking at any of that.

I think that the amount of space has lots to do with what they will do in this regard. Mine do have a large run at 1900 sq ft. The coop provides around 5 sq ft/chook so it is roomy enough. I suspect those that are more tightly confined will peck at things out of sheer boredom. They will definitely fight more if more tightly confined. Some breeds might be more disposed to pecking at things than others too.

gerry

 

[elmo]

Quote:
I read on BackyardChickens.com this morning that you're not supposed to use pressure treated (at least the toxic type) around livestock, especially chickens, who like to peck at and try to eat just about anything. Now the newer pressure treatment chemicals aren't harmful, as copper, creosote and other nasties were in the old style.

I wouldn't use pressure treated wood (or wood of any kind, for that matter) for a parrot enclosure because parrots do chew wood. But chickens don't. As long as the wood is intact, not rotting or splintering, there's really no way for a chicken to get her beak into it.

 

[Aimiel]

I not only don't want creosote in my watershed, in addition I certainly don't want motor oil in it; whether I believe my chickens will ever ingest any or not. I'd make sure to use environmentally safe chemicals if I were to use any preservative on my wood construction. I'd much rather use exterior-grade lumber which has been properly treated (read: no toxins) and baked dry (which is what pressure-treating accomplishes) rather than dump carcinogens and other pollutants into mine and my neighbors' drinking water, as well as the habitat that wildlife uses to survive. Thank God that not only was the harmful effects of PCB's, DDT, creosote and dumping of raw chemicals found to be the cause of extinction and near-extinction of many species (the Bald Eagle, for one steadfast example) but the fact that our government (you know: that thing that's supposed to be of / by and for the people) decided to prohibit their use (or at least in most cases their mis-use) so that we have a safe and secure environmental future. People will do what they want, especially if they figure: "It's my yard and I'll do what I please in it," or some such to excuse their irresponsible behavior, but I want to err on the side of caution when it comes to what my family will be eating as well as what my other feathered, furry, scaly or slimy friends have to eat. One of the things which I'm more mindful about, having a National Wildlife Federation Certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat is the pollutants I'm putting into my yard, and even into our local landfill. I love wildlife alone too much to dump unnecessary garbage down their throat, and even more: my family.

 

[Aimiel]

Quote:
There's plenty of controversy...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=216786
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4794169
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=395211
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2177485

... but I don't care about consensus or what you 'can' do or even what 'seems' right, I want to be responsible and as I said I'd much rather err on the side of caution, especially since it seems we've sort of thrown caution to the wind far too many times for far too long when it comes to our environment.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
There's plenty of controversy...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=216786
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4794169
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=395211
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2177485

... but I don't care about consensus or what you 'can' do or even what 'seems' right, I want to be responsible and as I said I'd much rather err on the side of caution, especially since it seems we've sort of thrown caution to the wind far too many times for far too long when it comes to our environment.

Environmental concerns here myself. I am a single gal living alone on 18 acres of desert heaven. I walk with a cane periodically and have to sit during most construction projects. So Everything I do has to be built accordingly. I am located in the High desert at about 3000 feet. I am building a chicken coop that is 24 x 18 feet. I use recycled materials when I can get them. Many of them my own. The coop will be mostly dog kennel panels lined and or partitioned with Aviary panels. I used to raise Finches Parakeets and Canaries. So I have 330 LF of kennel panels and about 50 LF of ten gauge 1/2 x 3 (wire spacing) Aviary panels. All these panels are six feet tall. Most of the Kennel panels are reserved for the new Goat enclosure. But I will have pleanty to form the bones of the coop. T

The walls to protect from the wind will be made out of recycled garage doors. Cut down to six feet tall. I have five single car doors from a garage door replacement company. The bottoms of those doors though will be supported with pressure treated four by fours. I plan to paint them before putting them down. Within my environment and with the fact that My Coop is little more than a BIG Cage with a lid and a windbreak I suspect any out gassing from the wood will be minimal. I most definately would not use wood of any sort with hook bill birds. Some of these Aviary panels I inherited because a friend had a parrot that was eating the galvinization off. She had to stay with Powder coated cages.