should i paint the inside of coop? and ramp question...

I've read a lot of posts where people have used regular latex and exterior paint inside their coops without any problems, and it can really help with making it brighter in there. Just make sure the fume have all cleared out before you put any birds in there.

As to the chicken ramp, I'm not sure. I would also like to see some advice on this since we have not built ours yet either.

Oh, and

 

It is not *necessary* to paint inside the coop but for sure it is *desirable*, both in making it brighter (minimizes short daylength problems in midwinter) and in making it waaaay easier to clean poo off surfaces.... and you will be amazed where chickens can get those squirty cecal poos onto

Prepare the surface properly first (remove dirt and dust, then a thin coat of appropriate primer) then 1-2 thin coats of whatever paint you happen to have lying around (preferably some light color), the BEST thing is semigloss exterior paint but it is really not a huge deal what you use.

On the ramp thing, it is possible to construct ramps so steep that chickens are reluctant to use them, and yours sounds like it would be pushing that range, but it is not that hard to re-do if it turns out to be a problem (for one thing, you could just put a 12" cinderblock under the 'ground' end, that alone would make it noticeably less steep) so I would not sweat it at this point.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

when I bought some high-quality exterior grade Behr paint (primer+paint in one) from Home Depot, there was a mistake in the order and I got a whole gallon for free. So, guess what I used to paint the inside of the coop & ramp!
But, first, let me say, that no, you don't have to paint anything.

My personal opinion, now. I had read that using exterior grade paint inside will help with the spray down. My coop isn't even 6 months old yet so I haven't had to spray it down yet. But, I have noticed that it covered up all the splintered wood fibers & tiny crannies where mites or chicken ticks can hide in. (Being new to chickening, I'm really paranoid about all of these scary things you hear.) So, in retrospect, I would do it again! Wood is a very absorbent surface, but painting it with a thick, waterproof paint makes it seem more like a solid surface. The fumes are gone after a few days and I have noticed zero reasons why painting the interior may not have been a good idea.
I used the same on the plank to make washing off the poop easier. Again, I haven't sprayed anything down, but the rain has washed it off on its own. So, I vote for a yes to exterior-grade paint on the ramp too! I think our ramp is steeper than yours and the chickens have mastered it just fine. Yes, I do have the ladder rails on my ramp.

On a side note, the paint I used was a creamy bright white color that I'd used on our door. I don't recommend white colors because they show all the poopy stains and dirt! But, a bright neutral color would be a great bet!
These pics don't show anything well, but you can see the ramp & the back of an interior door.

(this chicken has weird skin & i was taking a pic of its foot so ignore its poor, sad feet.


good luck! And, welcome to byc!

 

I have painted both of my coops with white exterior oil based barn and fence paint found at Lowe's. I found it was a little cheaper than the regular exterior paints. I highly recomend painting the inside of your coop for all the reasons that the others gave.

 

A Habitat for Humanity Restore or mistint pile at your local paint supplier are excellent sources for coop paint on the cheap. If you're a member of Freecycle, you may be able to get free paint from someone who has leftovers cluttering their garage.

I happened to find that Home Depot had some oil-based, semi-gloss, exterior paint on clearance for $10/gallon. It's been about a week ago so you might check there. Also, our local Wal-Mart had a ton of Kilz brand "Casual Color" paint on clearance when I was in there yesterday.

 

Another thing that might help with the ramp is to wrap it with hardware cloth, or staple a strip of it down the middle. This gives the chickens something to grip with their feet so the ramp isn't too slippery. It helps with young chickens the best, when they are hesitant to use it. Adult chickens, too, but the youngsters can be easily put off if they slip or feel unsafe using the ramp.