Staining/Waterproofing/Painting wood?

[koakritters]

I just got an old huge rabbit hutch form my neighbors, they were just going to throw it out!!! :O Noo, I can use it for chicks!!! lol.

It's in decent shape, needs some work, but since I don't have an area to put it that it'll be out of the rain, I want to do something to the wood so that it won't take in water. What the best way to go about it sine they will be chicks living in it? I don't want anything that'll end up being toxic for them if they peck at it or fumes or anything from it. I was thinking of just painting the outside with house paint and maybe sealing the inside with wood stain or something?

 

[Captain Carrot]

I've got a small coop made from ply, which I stained inside and out. It looks good, but I wouldn't stain the inside in future. It's a pain to clean the floor when the chickens poop on it. In another small coop I used a gloss acrylic which makes it easier to clean as I can wipe the surfaces.

If you are going to paint the inside I'd recommend using any kind of house paint, with a gloss finish if possible.

For the outside you'd be better either with a stain, or an all weather paint from the hardwear shop. Either way you'll have to stain/paint again in a couple of years to keep it protected. With the stain it's easy, but with the paint you'll have to sand it off if the paint bubbles or cracks, before re-painting it. When painting a couple of thin coats is a much better way than one thick coat.

Try and give it a larger roof with a overhand, then put some roofing paper on the roof. the overhang will keep the rain off the hutch itself. Keep it covered with a tarp when not in use will also protect it.

 

[patandchickens]

A properly done prime-and-paint job (with THIN coat of primer, then several THIN coats of paint, no thick coats of anything!!) will last the longest. OTOH it is the most annoying to redo when and if it eventually does have to be redone.

Stain won't last as long but can just be slapped back on when it deteriorates.

Sealer (like for decks) will last even less long, and some of it gets peely and requires work to prep the surface for reapplication (others don't, but they all have to be reapplied every year or few)

None of the above is toxic to chickens once they're dry (well, I don't know how much flaky peeling mildewcidal paint I'd want my egg-layers eating; but you should not be having peeling paint anyhow, and just don't *use* one with a mildewcide if you're concerned).

All of them are "not good for" chickens when still wet and fumey, so for the interior, I'd suggest doing it on a dry day (or two) starting first thing in the morning and use something that dries fast.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Hopefully, the inside of the hutch won't be getting wet, in which case you don't necessary have to paint the inside. I painted the outside of my small coop with red barn paint. No primer. It's cheap.

 

[cooper38]

If you stain it use a good quality stain like sikens or permachink. Stained buildings are better looking than painted ones (mho).