Should I paint the inside of the coop to weather proof it?

[Skyla]

I painted the inside of my coop with a good exterior paint so that I would be better to clean. I didn’t want any of the wood to absorb smells, etc. But I agree with others about ventilation. Could you get a hygrometer and see what it is inside the coop vs outside?

Depends on how much a hygrometer is, I probably wouldn't get one unless I'm noticing any problems. Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll have to keep it in mind.

 

[KarynVA]

We painted the inside of our coop with 2-3 coats of exterior paint to make it easier to clean and to resist moisture and wear.

 

[Skyla]

Whether you have enough vents depends on how many chickens you are keeping in that coop. As I said earlier, it is suggested that you have 1 square foot of vent area that is never closed for every chicken. Measuring your vents and considering the number of birds you have should give you an idea as to whether you have enough vent area. How many chickens do you have?

To give you an example, I have an 8' by 6' coop. I have 2 1' by 3' vents. Also have a 2' by 2' vent and a 1' by 1' vent. This coop was built for 12 chickens but I am only keeping 5 now.

I will add that my coop is not insulated and I live in Montana. Have never found a need to have it insulated. I have always felt that insulation is just a nice warm place for mice to spend the winter. Chickens do well in winter if they have a well ventilated coop and are not subject to drafts and wind. In other words, vent out all that moisture and give them a place where no wind blows on them.

I have never had an issue with wood parasites. Coop is about 6 years old.

I also liked Kafen's suggestion. The temperature sending unit I have in the coop also checks the humidity. Always nice to know the temperature and humidity in the coop by checking the base unit on my desk.

Thanks for the measurements for how many vents I will need. Unfortunately I do not meet the requirements, I might be able to make a few easy vents in the top but I might hold off on that until I notice a problem. I was worried about having too many vents because of how cold it gets here. Iv'e never had a problem with mice and my insulation in my old coop, granted I was using that pink styrofoam. Thank you for all the information, you've been very helpful!

 

[Skyla]

Tha'ts probably not gong to be enough.
Might think about opening up the soffit area,

View attachment 2361445
what does this are look look like from outside?

This works well here:
View attachment 2361446

After reading I might need more ventilation my mind went to the soffits as well. I had originally planned to leave some open for vents but we were having trouble figuring out how to do it and close it off with wire. Heres a picture of it from the outside.

 

[AgnesGray]

I used this inside my chicken tractor and like it pretty well. Got it at TSC on the odds and ends pile, so I don't know if they will still carry it. I also put rolled vinyl flooring in the coop and on the lower portion of the walls to be easier to clean and that has been pretty easy to have so far. I'd also suggest adding some more ventilation around the top.

 

[aart]

After reading I might need more ventilation my mind went to the soffits as well. I had originally planned to leave some open for vents but we were having trouble figuring out how to do it and close it off with wire

Can you remove that blocking?
I'm guessing probably not.
If you can, add fascia and cover like I showed in pic.
If not, drill a bunch of 1" holes in the blocking with a space bit and cover with HC.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Depends on how much a hygrometer is, I probably wouldn't get one unless I'm noticing any problems. Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll have to keep it in mind.

I picked up simple thermometers with humidity gauges on them for a few dollars each at Home Depot.

This is how I did mine.....
Outside


Inside

 

[CamTheChknKeeper]

“I used this inside my chicken tractor and like it pretty well. Got it at TSC on the odds and ends pile, so I don't know if they will still carry it.”

That’s interesting!! I have a friend in Oregon who suggested painting the whole interior of my wooden coop with mineral oil, the theory (her practice) is that any mites or other bothersome creatures wil be smothered when they are in the cracks they love to hide in.
Has anyone tried this?,

 

[AgnesGray]

The first ingredient in this paint is plant seed oils and maybe that is one of the reasons.

 

[SegiDream]

Depends on how much a hygrometer is, I probably wouldn't get one unless I'm noticing any problems. Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll have to keep it in mind.

They don't cost much at all. They start around $8 and go up depending on what you want. I use this digital one for reptiles. They're inexpensive and convenient to use.
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Rept...3&sr=1-1-f6b8d51f-2c55-4dc3-89ad-0c3639671b2d

But for a little more $ I think something like this would be nice to have in a chicken coop...
https://www.amazon.com/Govee-Thermo...0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==#customerReviews

As far as painting/staining the inside that is up to user preference IMO. Painting probably makes cleanup a little easier. A white paint reflects more light making the space appear brighter.... But you'll have to be careful about what paints you can use. The best thing I did was put linoleum on the floor. It made a HUGE difference on how easy it was to clean the floor.