type of wood for the coop

[karen71]

Hi all
1st post here No chickens yet waiting for hubby to build my coop- he wants to know if can use treated wood for the floor or if it will hurt the chickens-
appreciate any help you can give

 

[RoostersCrow]

Treated wood for the fllor... in my opinion... should not present any risk o birds, eggs or meat. I am assuming a) that some form of litter will be used and b) the birds will not be eating it...

 

[willheveland]

It should be ok.It may be a little overkill though.I would say treated is best for the floor framing,but plywood should be fine for the floor,and more economical too.If you are not on a concrete pad,then the coop should be off the ground(no ground contact) Will

 

[cjeanean]

I don't think there are any specific types of wood needed for a coop. I think it's just your personal preference. Oh, and

 

[Burban89]

I used treated for the floor framing. Then put down a moisture barrier, and regular plywood for the flooring.

 

[Brian]

Quote:
Yes for framing. No for actual contact with the birds feet. Treated lumber is loaded with alkaline copper quat, which can get into your chickens, their eggs, and ultimately into YOU. It is considered a cancer risk.

This from the website, HowStuffWorks.com :
Pressure-treated lumber is wood that has been immersed in a liquid preservative and placed in a pressure chamber. The chamber forces the chemical into the wood fibers. The pressurized approach makes sure that the chemical makes it to the core of each piece of wood -- it is much more effective than simply soaking the wood in the chemical.

The most common chemical used to treat lumber used to be chromated copper arsenate, or CCA. In 2003, however, the Environmental Protection Agency restricted the use of CCA in residential settings due to health and environmental concerns about arsenic leaching out of the wood. The most widely used alternative to CCA is alkaline copper quat, or ACQ. Copper is toxic to various insects and fungi that might cause decay. ACQ binds to wood fibers very well and allows wood to last decades even when it is in contact with the ground.

The chemicals in treated wood are generally not good for humans. This is why you see warnings advising you to wear gloves, avoid breathing the sawdust, and refrain from burning treated wood. Keeping small children away from treated wood is also a good idea.

 

[CarlaRiggs]

Thanks for the tutorial, Brian!

These are the answers we're looking waiting for.

Carla

 

[karen71]

Thank you all for your help-
thank you Brian I will tell hubby only for framing-

 

[gumpsgirl]

I wouldn't use the pressure treated lumber anywhere on your coop. I'll take that back. We did use pressure treated wood for the "legs" or posts to keep the coop up off of the ground, but that will never be anywhere around the chickens. Other than that, we just used regular lumber, which is much easier on the pocket book too! We have looked around and got a lot of pallet wood and scrap lumber here and there. You would be surprised at the pallets that are built using 1 X 6's! Try posting on freecycle and the craigslist for free roofing, wood, etc... I also just used plywood for the floor and covered it with a piece of vinyl so the plywood wouldn't get wet and it will make for a much easier time cleaning! Look at all of the coop designs here and pay close attention to what people used to build their coops. I got all sorts of ideas that way!

Be sure to post pics when you start your coop! Good luck!

 

[andrealt]

Karen,
I was advised to used 2nd grade cedar and marine grade plywood...
Andrea