New coop, what do I treat/paint the wood with?

[ALLcoopedUP]

I've just bought a flat pack untreated wooden coop and run. Please could you advise what to do vis-à-vis painting and treating the wood, what do I use and in what order. Do I use non-toxic paint? I don't want to poison them in any way! Thanks in advance.

 

[patandchickens]

Pretty much any paint you can buy these days is nontoxic when dry. Pretty much all of them have fumes that you're better off not inhaling when they're wet.

So, really ANYthing will do, just make sure it is fully dry and well aired out (takes hours to weeks, depending on type of paint and coop ventilation and your climate/weather) before chickens go in, and you're good to go.

If you use stain or polyurethane you will have to reapply it sooner than you'd have had to repaint, BUT you can just wash and lightly sand the surface and do it, won't have to scrape up peely stuff as you have to do with paint.

If you use paint, it will last a bit longer between reapplications but involves more work (scraping). If you are going to paint, it is very important to prime well first, and then to apply thin rather than thick coats of paint.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[CityChook]

I just used household paint in my coop. Prime first, preferably with oil based primer and then use exterior latex paint, even on the interior. It will withstand temperature changes and humidity better than interior paint. I just used waterproofing stain on the exterior because that's the look I wanted. It dried very quickly.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

on the inside of my coop i painted the walls and ceiling with zinsser for bathrooms/kitchens scrubbable, mold/mildew resistent paint.

 

[Chauntecleer's Keeper]

You can use boiled linseed oil. It is a great preservative and will let the natural wood show through. It is a penetrating oil that has been used for years. Watco oil is another great penetrating oil that is used on outdoor teak furniture. It is really easy to apply, and I am pretty sure it is nontoxic. You can find it at Home Depo or Lowes by the stains. I have used both of these products for years, and they work great on birdhouses too.