How important to paint the inside?

[fightingbunny]

I haven't painted the nest boxes, roost, poop trays, or interior walls of our new coop. How important is this? It seems like it will take a LOT of time and paint to do this. Other than making a tidy/pretty looking coop, is there much real benefit? The only reasons that I remember other people painting are 1) less chance of lice/bugs living in the wood and 2) Easier to clean.

I am not a person that feels compelled to scour clean a chicken coop and I don't mind a little mess. I can't imagine I will ever go in there and do more than change bedding. We only have a few chickens with little chance of an infestation. We have a vinyl floor for long term bedding cleanout ease and a huge poop tray to catch night droppings. So can I safely get away without painting the inside of my coop?

 

[Chickassan]

You don't have to paint inside the chickens don't care. And if or should i say when you get mites you can put coconut oil or olive oil in a spray bottle spray the bare wood to help smother the mites.You couldn't do that little trick on paint.

 

[Cajun_MikeR]

Priming/painting the wood inside will not only keep bugs out of the wood, but it will also help preserve the wood making it slower to break down or rot (a problem in my hot, humid climate). I do it strictly for increasing the lifetime of the coop.

 

[Chickassan]

Op is in Maryland so climate shouldn't be too bad. What kind of wood you got going on in your coop if you don't mind me asking @fightingbunny

 

[MamaHen11]

I haven't painted the nest boxes, roost, poop trays, or interior walls of our new coop. How important is this? It seems like it will take a LOT of time and paint to do this. Other than making a tidy/pretty looking coop, is there much real benefit? The only reasons that I remember other people painting are 1) less chance of lice/bugs living in the wood and 2) Easier to clean.

I am not a person that feels compelled to scour clean a chicken coop and I don't mind a little mess. I can't imagine I will ever go in there and do more than change bedding. We only have a few chickens with little chance of an infestation. We have a vinyl floor for long term bedding cleanout ease and a huge poop tray to catch night droppings. So can I safely get away without painting the inside of my coop?

The only thing would think it would make a big difference on is if you had to decontaminate the whole thing at one point (hopefully not!). Then, you could just spray down/scrub....but that would be catastrophic situation health wise for your flock.

 

[fightingbunny]

I am not sure what the walls are made of. The product I used is called SmartSiding. From BobVilla.com, "LP Building Products’ SmartSide line of siding and trim is made up of wood strands that are coated with a resin binder and compressed to create a board of superior strength. Each SmartSide piece is also treated using LP’s SmartGuard zinc-borate treatment system to protect against termites and rot." The inside looks to my eye just like plywood.

The rest of the wood is standard pine 2x4s, 1x2s, and a little thin plywood. The floor is a thick plywood under the vinyl and a really battered free sheet that I got from a neighbor. I would not expect it to last forever, but it is just dropped in place, so I can replace that very easily, so I am not worried about it. It really feels wasteful of resources to paint that.

Here is a picture of the inside, to help show the materials:

 

[Chickassan]

Op can still decontaminte bare wood just slightly longer drying and airing out time.

 

[DIGGIN CHICKEN]

The only painting i put up in the coop is this ....its the only incentive to get them laying!!! ..

 

[Chickassan]

Ok good news and bad news,your walls are pressed wood you should definitely at least thinly paint that if it ever gets wet it's downhill from there. Nest boxes and roost you can skip and i would do the poop tray bottom "you'll thank me later ".

 

[fightingbunny]

I desperately want to move my chickens in this weekend, so I might throw some paint on things that won't take too long. The hardware cloth is going to take us many many hours, so I am not sure what time will allow