Should I paint the nest boxes

[jwnova99]

Hello Everyone,

This is the inside of my coop. The walls are treated wood but the boxes are not. The boxes are now 2 years old and I'm wondering if I should let them slowly rot and replace them, or if I should clean, sanitize, and paint them. Any suggestions?

 

[N&MSchroeder]

We painted our nest boxes and it has helped to protect the wood. My husband built them and enjoyed the time he spent working on them. If you like your existing boxes, I would go ahead and clean/paint. If you would like to make some changes in the set up, leave them as is and plan on replacing them at some point in the future.

Your set up looks great!

 

[nirvana4me2]

i would paint them, rotting nesting boxes could potentially bring disease.

 

[jwnova99]

Thank you Nirvana and N&M for your replies! I guess I'll be putting that on my long to do list this summer

 

[Jamandack]

LOVE your coop! I'm so jealous of the nice big size! and electricity!!! Bravo! My nest boxes are painted and I've enjoyed being able to simply wipe of poops that find there way onto the boxes Also- mine are removable so I just hose them down once a month or so and let them dry in the sun then they look shiny and new!

 

[jwnova99]

Thank you Jamandack. I don't know if I will get tired of my flock and wanted the option of turning it into a wood shop or shed down the road. I put more pictures and the construction list in the coop section. My next step is a pond and grape armor to offer a cool place for them to lay down in the summer. Currently its a struggle to keep them away from the house and off my cool concrete.

 

[Tweakster]

".... My next step is a pond and grape armor to offer a cool place for them to lay down in the summer. Currently its a struggle to keep them away from the house and off my cool concrete."

They do seem to luv cool concrete in the summer. We have a covered patio and all of our chooks can be found there on a hot summer afternoon. Then I get sent out in the late evening to hose off the patio so the DW and I can spend the evening on it. The chooks do NOT, by the way, like the hose. The hose will usually send them lumbering to the coop for the evening. Like you, I need to create a cool, shady place for them to spend their days so I don't have to hose off the patio so much!