Has anyone used "milk board" inside the coop?

[chixendad]

I was thinking about "chicken proofing" my coop a bit and was thinking about using some milk board (picture attached if you don't know the stuff) I'm shocked at how bad my sealed plywood floor looks already after a couple months at most and hate to think what it'll be like in a year or two.

I was thinking about lying down some of this to make a waterproof basin. Seems it's supposed to be glued down but I figure it could be screwed with "pole barn" screws if needed and siliconed around the edges.

Curious if anyone has used the stuff or if the more experienced people have some opinions. Thanks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I was thinking about "chicken proofing" my coop a bit and was thinking about using some milk board (picture attached if you don't know the stuff) I'm shocked at how bad my sealed plywood floor looks already after a couple months at most and hate to think what it'll be like in a year or two.

I was thinking about lying down some of this to make a waterproof basin. Seems it's supposed to be glued down but I figure it could be screwed with "pole barn" screws if needed and siliconed around the edges.

Curious if anyone has used the stuff or if the more experienced people have some opinions. Thanks.

Where would you place it, like underneath roosts or as a general floor covering?

My biggest concern would be how slick of a surface that would be. Even if covered by bedding, I would worry about a slick surface.

How bad are your plywood boards? Do you have photos?

Perhaps some linoleum may be better, I'm not sure.

 

[Ted Brown]

BlackJack 57

 

[chixendad]

I would put it on top of the plywood. And cover it with bedding though I had thought about under the roost. I think it might be too flimsy to do that though unless I glued it to plywood. I can't imagine the stuff is worse to walk on than linoleum.

Currently the plywood is getting dark and I can see it's taking on water even though it was sealed. I can take pictures, it's just kinda dark all over from moisture (moisture is the issue, not general abuse like scratches).

 

[RoseHawke]

You can also use a product called "Liquid Rubber" from the company of the same name, but it's pretty pricey - a gallon is $80 and only covers an area about 4x4 feet (15 square feet.) A 5-gallon pail is $300.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

For anyone else reading along, I see a use for this milk board on the sides of the coop, behind the roosts and above the poop trays.

I haven’t seen it (yet) with my girls, but apparently poop sometimes goes sideways before going downward, and this sort of product would protect the walls.

I realist this isn’t OP’s issue, but I’ve been looking for something easily cleanable that would also protect the roosts from drafts.

Apologies for going OT!

 

[Penpal]

In the future, instead of sealed plywood, use marine board. I don't think it is the same thing because we used marine board as our subfloor. Then it rained. Subfloor was fine.

 

[chixendad]

Not really off topic Mother of Chaos. I had thought it would also be a great wall material as well. It's pretty cheap and generally food grade. Seems like it'd generally be usable in place of plywood.

Marine board is pricey. My coop is made with the finest Menards lumber and by finest I mean cheapest. In reality, a board that's twice as expensive might have been a better idea but that ship already sailed. I sealed the bottom boards up pretty well prior to assembly and didn't think for a second the chicken juice would penetrate so much.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would put it on top of the plywood. And cover it with bedding though I had thought about under the roost. I think it might be too flimsy to do that though unless I glued it to plywood. I can't imagine the stuff is worse to walk on than linoleum.

Currently the plywood is getting dark and I can see it's taking on water even though it was sealed. I can take pictures, it's just kinda dark all over from moisture (moisture is the issue, not general abuse like scratches).

The plywood is coming apart after a couple of months?

Where is all the moisture coming from? I understand that chicken poop can be corrosive, but I would expect it to last longer that a couple of months, especially if sealed.

Is the moisture more concentrated under the roosts? Under a water station or the whole inside of the coop?

Give the milk board a try and see how it does, if you screw it down, you should be able to remove it fairly easily if it doesn't work out.

If the plywood is already soft and/or rotting-coming apart now, then I'd worry about sealing it up with the plastic on top, that's going to lock in moisture and mold/promote rot faster. Just my thinking.

Not really off topic Mother of Chaos. I had thought it would also be a great wall material as well. It's pretty cheap and generally food grade. Seems like it'd generally be usable in place of plywood.

Marine board is pricey. My coop is made with the finest Menards lumber and by finest I mean cheapest. In reality, a board that's twice as expensive might have been a better idea but that ship already sailed. I sealed the bottom boards up pretty well prior to assembly and didn't think for a second the chicken juice would penetrate so much.