what kind of paint is safe for coop

[The Dude]

Hi again,
And sorry for the slow/no responce. Any way I did
paint the unsided surfices outside with KILZ a totally oil based paint made localy and I highly recommend it.

 

[Rivers]

Does anyone have more information on this subject?

I am building a coop out of rough sawn timber and plywood, with a roof of sterling board/felt.

I already posses two large containers of fence stain/preseverative.

One of them is supposedly "eco friendly" and seems to be spirit based as it comes in a metal container and evaporates quickly. It is very much a "stain" as its dark but transparent.
The label says "keep away from pets and animal feed".

The other one I have is water based fence stain, it is thicker and much less see through. It says "safe for pets" but also says it is only suitable for rough sawn timber and will not suit smooth planed surfaces. So I worry that it wont stick to the plywood.

I think its fairly safe to risk either of these on the outside of the coop, but my main concern is what to use on the inside. Is stuff like this suitable? Or do I need to use something more glossy like paint or varnish to make it easier to clean?

 

[elmo]

Chickens don't gnaw on wood the way parrots do, so as long as whatever you use is dry (and no gloppy drips to attract curious beaks) it will be fine. Do be careful about paint or stain fumes, though. Chickens like all birds have efficient respiratory systems and can succumb to toxins in the air (like the "canary in a coal mine"). I would not close chickens up inside any coop untl the paint/stain is completely dry and there is no odor left whatsoever.

 

[patandchickens]

Lead is no longer used in paint, so AFAIK the only realistic-if-tiny issue from ingestion of dry paint is those paints that contain mercury compounds as a mildewcide. And even with those, frankly I flat-out do not believe that chickens would ingest a meaningful amount, unless you do something radically stupid that I am hard-put to even imagine what it could be

Basically chickens do not peck at sound wood and sound paint.

And the solvent part of paint safety is a non-issue, since you would not be putting the chickens in there until/unless the paint is well dried and no solvent aroma remains. Right?

So honestly I see no reason to worry about it.

Most sensible thing is to prepare the surface well (have the wood dry and well-dusted-off, then a thin coat of appropriate primer) and then find some remnants of exterior semigloss in a not-too-dark color to put on. Two thin coats of that, and there ya go.

You CAN get all spendy on the paint if you WANT to, far be it from me to restrain folks from stimulating the economy <g>, but I see no earthly point in it in this case

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Cargo]

I agree with Pat 100%.

Paints, stains and primers are not an issue once they have dried.

200% agree with :

Most sensible thing is to prepare the surface well (have the wood dry and well-dusted-off, then a thin coat of appropriate primer) and then find some remnants of exterior semigloss in a not-too-dark color to put on. Two thin coats of that, and there ya go.

I know almost everyone wants to "just do one thick coat" but one thick coat always looks like crap and will not last as long.
Most of us spend days, weeks or months building even a simple coop. Might as well take an extra day to make sure it looks great.

Cargo​