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

[Skyla]

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.

Technically I could remove it but it would be a huge pain, they're pretty wedged in there. I'll definitely add some holes though, that sounds like a good compromise.

 

[Skyla]

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.

If they're that cheap I might have to pick one up, thanks for the links! I've decided to seal the inside with some Minwax spar urethane oil based. We also have linoleum on the floor, honestly I'm surprised to find out some people don't, it really does make life much easier.

 

[Skyla]

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
View attachment 2362205

Inside
View attachment 2362207

Wow, I really like how you did yours. I'll just stick with making the boards look like swiss cheese for now, but I'm going to keep your design in mind for any future projects,

 

[aart]

Technically I could remove it but it would be a huge pain, they're pretty wedged in there.

And they are probably nailed or screwed in place?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Wow, I really like how you did yours. I'll just stick with making the boards look like swiss cheese for now, but I'm going to keep your design in mind for any future projects,

Thanks. It was actually done that way on that coop out of necessity for speed of construction. That coop and hoop run were plain ground on a Friday at 5pm and were built, painted and had 6 rescue birds in by 5pm Sunday. It helped that it was HOT as heck out so paint dried super fast. I added the hardware cloth on the inside because the run is under that soffit outside....access is difficult at best out there.

 

[Skyla]

And they are probably nailed or screwed in place?

Yeah they are screwed in place.

 

[Skyla]

Thanks. It was actually done that way on that coop out of necessity for speed of construction. That coop and hoop run were plain ground on a Friday at 5pm and were built, painted and had 6 rescue birds in by 5pm Sunday. It helped that it was HOT as heck out so paint dried super fast. I added the hardware cloth on the inside because the run is under that soffit outside....access is difficult at best out there.

Holy cow, It’s taken us 5 months and I’m still not done with the coop. We camp a lot in the summer and only ever worked on it on weekends we were available but it’s been taking us forever. Granted we have no idea what we’re doing and aren’t carpenters in the broadest definition of the word, but that’s awesome you were able to get all that done.

 

[aart]

Yeah they are screwed in place.

Can you get the screws out?
Might faster than drilling a ton of holes.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Holy cow, It’s taken us 5 months and I’m still not done with the coop. We camp a lot in the summer and only ever worked on it on weekends we were available but it’s been taking us forever. Granted we have no idea what we’re doing and aren’t carpenters in the broadest definition of the word, but that’s awesome you were able to get all that done.

It certainly was a rush job. The birds were in quite a bad place.

Most coop builds do take longer than anticipated.

 

[wamtazlady]

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!

I am not sure if this was mentioned in this thread at all. Remember this. A DRY CHICKEN IS A WARM CHICKEN. Do not forget this. A chicken keeps itself warm if you give it an area that will make the chicken keep warm. The area needs to be well ventilated so humidity does not build up. It also needs to be draft free so wind does not ruffle the feathers causing the chickens to loose that wonderful heat they build up under that lovely down coat they make for themselves.

I am not against insulation. However, if you are going to insulate to give yourself an excuse to close up the coop to "keep the heat in" then there is a problem. Thinking about getting the humidity out and your chickens will be happier. It gets down into the -20s F here in northern Montana. I have never lost a chicken due to cold weather. In fact at that temperature my girls are outside in the covered and protected run doing chicken things all day. They peck at their food, they drink, and scratch through the pine shavings hoping to find a lost treat.