Do I paint the roost???

[donnap1967]

I am nearing completion on my chicken coop but I wasn't sure if I am supposed to paint the roost. It is a 2x4 that runs the length (about 6 feet) of my coop. I thought it would make for a tad bit easier cleaning if I paint it, but I don't want to make it slippery for the chickens.

So do I paint it or leave it natural?

 

[sunnydee]

I left mine natural. They do get messy, but clean up easily with a paint scraper.

 

[thechickenchick]

Ours are old wooden grain elevator ladders. We did not paint them. I just scrape them off when its coop cleaning time.

 

[ravenfeathers]

if you did want to paint it, just for aesthetics, you could sprinkle some sand on it while the paint is still wet to give it some grip. could help prevent bumblefoot, too.

 

[speckledhen]

Actually, sand on the roost would cause bumblefoot, not prevent it. Any abrasion, then jumping down into poopy shavings can start up bumblefoot, trust me. I started a cycle of bumblefoot years ago when I put non-skid tape (like sandpaper) on a PVC pipe in front of the nestboxes. When I realized the goof, I removed it and put a 2x4 there instead. BUT, the cycle started and it was a pain to get anywhere with eradicating it.

 

[chickiebaby]

Our roosts are a motley collection of 2x4s and rustic branches. Nobody seems to care.

 

[patandchickens]

I have not tried painting a roost but suspect the paint would tend to get scratched off anyhow, from the chickens' toenails or claws or whatever we're supposed to call them.

Mine are all nekkid plain wood (2x4s or wide dead treebranches) and work just fine. If a serious cleaning were needed, I'd use a scraper or sandpaper on 'em; if mites got into crevices I'd use oil. Not sure that paint would provide any real benefits.

Good luck and have fun,

Pat

 

[DougD]

Make sure the wood is smooth and don't bother to paint it as their claws scratch it up too much anyway.
Actually a piece of 1x strapping nailed flat on the edge of the 2x4 is better for adult chickens as it gives them something to wrap their toes around.

 

[donnap1967]

Thanks everyone for all the replies! I left the wood au naturale.

So far nobody has even tried out the roost yet but I am sure in time they will love it.

 

[speckledhen]

One thing I do besides leaving mine natural (but sanded smooth) is to oil them. Obviously, not heavily and you must leave time before they go to bed for the oil to be absorbed. That way, the poop is easier to clean off. I use mostly veg oil with a few drops of tea tree oil as a bug deterrent.