What Kind Of Wood Protectant Should I Use?

[Geckolady]

I'm turning a shed into a chicken coop, and would like to know what kind of nontoxic shellac or protectant I can put on the bare wood to make it easier to clean without making it too slick for chickens.

 

[3KillerBs]

Are you talking about painting the exterior or sealing the interior?

Barn paint is ideal for the exterior because it's designed to be applied over unprimed, rough-surface wood and to hold up to farm outbuilding conditions. The interior doesn't need to be painted or sealed. It's better to allow the wood to breathe.

A chicken coop will not need to be wet-cleaned except in extreme, unusual conditions. Keep it dry, keep good bedding on the floor, and keep it well-ventilated and you can dust out any cobwebs, etc. when you change the bedding if you want to. n

 

[RojoMarz]

We used linoleum on our coop's floor. On top of that, we put pine chips/shreading.

 

[Geckolady]

Thanks. I was thinking of things to do to the interior to make it easier to keep clean.

 

[CoopDeVille1986]

I’m wondering the same. I’m at the point to be painting/coating/flooring the interior. Floor covering or painting seems like a no brainer. Interesting thought on leaving interior walls bare to breathe!

 

[Ted Brown]

I used whitewash on the interior walls and Blackjack 57 on the floors, up the walls 12" and on the drop boards.

Now one year in, very pleased with both choices; economical as well.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I use linoleum for the floor with wood chips and used barn paint on indoor and outdoor. It livestock safe and I like to paint the inside because... I've never dealt with mites but from what I understand they will hide in cracks in crevasses of wood and if those are covered/ filled in with paint it will be easier to eradicated the issue if it ever shows up

 

[Birdsong 82]

Never thought about letting the walls breathe. Good idea. Luckily my shed to coop conversation has high gables I opened and windows so ventilation is great but it's a great idea for certain certain set ups where the walls might be better bare.i like interior painted for my preference but set up is different for everyone

 

[CoopDeVille1986]

I used whitewash on the interior walls and Blackjack 57 on the floors, up the walls 12" and on the drop boards.

Now one year in, very pleased with both choices; economical as well.

How often do you plan on applying the whitewash?

 

[Geckolady]

What started this is my seeing a free chicken coop on Marketplace. I was ready to grab my keys and go get it, then saw the pictures. Thick bird poop covered everything and was hanging down from the nest boxes like stalagtites or stalagmites or whatever those things are that you see in caves. It's a total biohazard, and nobody should ever make a bird live in something like that.

I am in the process of turning a shed into a chicken coop, and the building and future nest box area is made of thick bare wood. I want to be able to wipe the poop off easily without it sinking into the wood and causing smell or damage to the wood or disease to my future flock. I'd like to do the same to the floor. All your input is appreciated. Linoleum to cover the floor sounds great, thank you, since it'll keep dirt from sinking into the concrete, which is porous. Great ideas!