Safe paint for coop and nesting boxes

[fowl weathered friend]

Hi! I moved into a house here with a pre-made coop in place but no nesting boxes. This wasn't an issue with my older hen because she lays eggs on the back porch or in old cactus's and pretty much ignores the coop.
With a few newer hens coming into laying age, I thought it might be nice to provide them with new nesting boxes. I'm building them, but with the monsoon season being like it is here, and with the potential for termites, i'm trying to find a good, non-toxic, non-harmful paint to use on both boxes and coop.

I'm looking everywhere for barn/farm and fence paint, but none of the Lowes, Home Depots or Ace Hardwares in my town carry it. It's available online, but I really don't want to ship paint. Does anyone know of any non toxic and safe exterior paint that I could use other than standard "Barn and Fence", and where I can find it?

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[PeeperKeeper]

"bump'" We used white wash. In KY it works for us. But it doesn't look real neat, just more sanitary.

 

[patandchickens]

How old is the coop, old enough that its existing paint might contain lead? (Like, I forget the dates you'd have to google, probably pre-1975 or so??)

If that age, it is a different question than if it's more recently-built.

More recently built, honest to goodness I would not worry about it, I'd just clean it good and slap on a coat of exterior latex-or-oil-whichever-you-prefer. (Prime first if surface is incurably filthy). AFAIK it isn't going to hurt anything, once it's dried and the fumes are gone.

If your coop is older, I'd have the paint tested and then if it did turn out to contain lead I would seek professional advice, as IMO you REALLY do not want chickens eating lead-loaded flaked-off paint (it will pass into their eggs...)

(e.t.a - oh wait, maybe you're just asking about what to put on newly built nest boxes. Just use any exterior-grade paint and it will be FINE, really

)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[PassthePeace1]

Quote:
What do you mean by doesn't look real neat? The reason I ask, is I thought about doing this for both my old house, and the coop. Does it look sloppy or just more rustic.....rustic I could live with, sloppy might give me second thought.

As to the OP, have you consider milk paint? You can google it, to find more info....and for the powder you mix with the milk solution. Suppose to last forever, and has a real rustic appeal.

 

[fowl weathered friend]

Great!
The coop isn't painted from the looks of it, so I'll probably sand it down a bit, use primer like suggested (thank you very much btw!) and paint.

I appreciate your feedback--I'm a relatively new "chicken mum" so I just nervous about the little chickies.
One pulled its leg the other day and I convinced myself that it was the start of botulism-caused paralysis. Needless to say, she's fine now.

Thanks again!