To Paint, or not to paint.

[Prospector]

Quote:
We have tonnes of paint in the basement. I was thinking of setting the kids to work painting the framing that's already together tonight while I finish up on the roof and laying boxes. Even if they just get it primed and we paint tomorrow, it would put us ahead, and this is a good way for the kids to get involved. Thin coats wouldn't happen if they paint though... Maybe I can thin the paint to encourage the desired effect.

 

[AnnainMD]

Quote:
Funny you asked because I was planning on building my webpage soon and post pics of the set-up, with pics of how easy it is to "scoop the poop". I won't be home until late tonight but I'll try to get it to you in the next day or 2.
Essentially the tray is about 6 inches below the roost, the roost is an 8' long 2x4 and that is painted with 3 coats of paint (not including the primer). The tray is actually in 2 parts (otherwise it wouldn't fit through the door to install it). The part of the tray that faces the chickens heinies is painted with 3 coats of paint, the underside of the tray is one coat. This tray is then filled with Stall-Dry which was a finer granulation than I expected but I actually think it's working better than large granules would.

 

[patandchickens]

I use a droppings board too (see my Personal Page, link at left under username, look at the pic of the sussex pen), and have plenty of bedding... but you know, a certain amount of the poo just DOES get onto bare wood surfaces. Squirty cecal poo "splorts" onto the walls; and the occasional place where they temporarily scratch the floor bare and then poo gets on it.

So DESPITE droppings board and ample bedding, I *still* think it is heavily worth it to paint.

JMHO,

Pat

 

[elmo]

Some people do use a sort of droppings pit covered with wire mesh, but I think having the whole coop floor covered with hardware cloth that the chickens would have to walk on would be too hard on their feet.

There are pros and cons to the mesh covered droppings pit. For me, it would be too much of a hassle to clean the poo off the grid. I get enough of doing that with my indoor caged birds!

I use a plastic boot tray under the roost. I pull it out and dump the contents in my composter. There's a picture on my BYC page if you want to take a look at it. My chickens are only in the coop at night and don't usually come down off the roost until I open the coop up in the morning to let them out. So I haven't had any problem with them walking through the droppings tray and getting messy.

 

[Prospector]

Quote:
AHA!

I think I can make that work into our plan. Glad I'm asking these Q's now while we are still framing, rather than once things are built. BTW, if you find yourself up our way, Please feel free to stop in and offer any tips you may have.

Chris.

Edit to add - the droppings boards look to be about 8" across, is that about right?

 

[AccioSarah]

I haven't read all the posts on here yet- but I think that the (higher gloss, doesn't have to be super glossy) exterior paint helps a lot with the clean up. I even bought colors to make it a little more interesting.

The chickens don't seem to mind the colors either, in fact, I think they like it!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
AHA!

I think I can make that work into our plan. Glad I'm asking these Q's now while we are still framing, rather than once things are built. BTW, if you find yourself up our way, Please feel free to stop in and offer any tips you may have.

Chris.

Edit to add - the droppings boards look to be about 8" across, is that about right?

Nope, my droppings board is that melamine-covered shelving material, some of mine are 14" wide and some are 16" wide and I forget which is in that picture

I would not recommend anything less than 12-14" wide.

Hopefully plans for coffee sometime will re-form and I will meet you eventually

Pat

 

[Prospector]

Scrap countertop should work then...

Headed to freecycle now...

 

[MistyValley]

Here's a picture of mine if it helps. I didn't paint the inside with the exception of the poop boards, which are now also cover with some free flooring I got from some dear friends.