Paint for coop interior

Have a cool plan for a coop? Or new roost designs? Or you simply want to show off your new building.
User avatar
Happy
Poultry Guru - pullet level
Posts: 3883
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:46 am
Location: Wasaga Beach
x 10914

Paint for coop interior

Post by Happy » Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:33 pm

I'm seriously considering stripping everything out, scrubbing and then painting everything inside my coop. I cannot stand the dust any longer!!! While I know that painting isn't going to get rid of the problem I'm hoping it would make cleaning it a little easier. Currently the interior of coop is the raw backside of a fibre board product (it's slightly fuzzy and grabs and holds dust) I think I would cover that with thin (pre painted) panelling. I've also considered switching to sand versus wood shavings to help as well. Anybody have experience/advice? Good idea/horrible idea/paint type suggestions?
TIA
0

User avatar
Ontario Chick
Poultry Guru
Posts: 5397
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:12 am
Answers: 2
Location: Carp - West Ottawa
x 9618

Paint for coop interior

Post by Ontario Chick » Mon Apr 03, 2017 10:55 pm

I know what you mean, dust has been something I have been fighting for years and honestly haven't made any progress whatsoever.
I haven't seen any difference between deep straw bedding or wood shavings and those are the only two things I have used, there is dirt floor in my coops, so sand would freeze solid, not really an option here.
One thing I have noticed once we installed new ceiling insulation ( shiny smooth surface), the dusty cobwebs don't gather there, but it didn't reduce the dust, it just settles back on the ground.
The walls are smooth surface wood strips and they seem to stay mostly dust free, which makes me think that a smooth panelling would work the same way.
The dust has really been the bane of my life, and there are too many contributing factors, dusty feed, broken bits of feathers , the bedding being scratched and slowly broken down, that I doubt it can be eliminated but every little bit helps.
0

User avatar
kenya
Henny Penny
Posts: 4446
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:14 pm
Answers: 1
Location: Stratford,ontario
x 4319

Paint for coop interior

Post by kenya » Tue Apr 04, 2017 4:12 am

I use kitty litter the non clumping kind in some of my pens, I use a litter scoop to pick out the poop every day. Works great and not dusty till the end of its life then I just replace it.
0

User avatar
Happy
Poultry Guru - pullet level
Posts: 3883
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:46 am
Location: Wasaga Beach
x 10914

Paint for coop interior

Post by Happy » Tue Apr 04, 2017 8:48 am

I've never thought of Kitty litter. How long does it last for you? Do the chickens eat it?
OC the dust makes the coop very unenjoyable for me by the end of winter! I've had the shop vac out there twice in the past month. I have windows on 2 sides for a great cross breeze that helps a lot but that doesn't help in the dead of winter. It's also affecting my little bantams. They seem really bothered by the dust and sneeze and scratch at their beak. My poor little broody was suffering being stuck inside so I cleaned all around her yesterday and I see an almost immediate improvement in them. Sneezing stops completely so I know it's not illness but environment. I guess the good news is that everything stays very dry in there so ventilation is good. But dry also means dusty and airborne!
0

tcamp
Fuzzy Dinosaur Stage
Posts: 75
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2017 7:58 pm
Location: North Bay Ontario
x 130

Paint for coop interior

Post by tcamp » Tue Apr 04, 2017 9:08 am

As far as paint goes, I just use any leftover paint I have from painting the house...it is always Behr paint and primer no VOC...
The floors would be much better painted in an oil base or perhaps a tremclad I think...I end up repainting the floors every 2 years when using regular interior paint. It worn off. But oil and tremclad take longer to dry. Whatever you do just make sure you supply plenty of ventilation for a few days after painting...open all windows
0

User avatar
Ontario Chick
Poultry Guru
Posts: 5397
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:12 am
Answers: 2
Location: Carp - West Ottawa
x 9618

Paint for coop interior

Post by Ontario Chick » Tue Apr 04, 2017 9:17 am

I know what you mean, my pens are large and the birds go out in to the quonset all winter , so it doesn't seem to affect them, but this time of the year the barn is begging for the old Hoover ( yes I bought one of the original ones, instructions have a picture of a Happy homemaker vacuuming wearing high heals :) and any ledges have a good 1/2" of layer of dust.
There are some things that can't be avoided whatever bedding you use, one of the things I have noticed is that the dust is greasy, when I take the nest boxes out in the spring to wash, the water actually runs atop the dust at first.
Which makes me think that it is chicken dander and feed dust, since there is no grease in wood shavings or straw.
0

User avatar
Shnookie
Free Ranging
Posts: 996
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2015 8:27 pm
Location: Regina
x 1346

Paint for coop interior

Post by Shnookie » Tue Apr 04, 2017 9:46 am

My chickens are in a building that has a sand floor. I put shavings in the nests and on the floor for the winter. Even when it's cold and the chickens aren't doing much dusting there is a coating of sand and feather dust on everything. Would it be easier to install an air filter of some kind? That is if you could find one that wouldn't choke and die from the amount of dust. Electronics are really good at collecting dust. Maybe a TV would help. :)
0

User avatar
Ontario Chick
Poultry Guru
Posts: 5397
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:12 am
Answers: 2
Location: Carp - West Ottawa
x 9618

Paint for coop interior

Post by Ontario Chick » Tue Apr 04, 2017 11:55 am

Shnookie wrote:QR_BBPOST My chickens are in a building that has a sand floor. I put shavings in the nests and on the floor for the winter. Even when it's cold and the chickens aren't doing much dusting there is a coating of sand and feather dust on everything. Would it be easier to install an air filter of some kind? That is if you could find one that wouldn't choke and die from the amount dust :)
I have even had a go at that, purchased a super duper heavy duty fan, lined up an electrician to install it, and he just laughed, said save your money, this kind of dust is going to choke the motor in no time, the only thing that "may" work is an air exchanger they have in wood working places, but the ones that work are very expensive and very noisy, so went back to Hoover.
0

User avatar
kenya
Henny Penny
Posts: 4446
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:14 pm
Answers: 1
Location: Stratford,ontario
x 4319

Paint for coop interior

Post by kenya » Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:26 pm

The kitty litter lasts a long time, I get unscented and non clumping, I'm sure the chickens eat some but come on its clay doesn't bother them. I use it to keep the silkies really clean and dry. Breeders in the states use it all the time .
0

User avatar
Ontario Chick
Poultry Guru
Posts: 5397
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:12 am
Answers: 2
Location: Carp - West Ottawa
x 9618

Paint for coop interior

Post by Ontario Chick » Tue Apr 04, 2017 12:35 pm

Kenya's post reminds me, somebody mentioned it before and since I only have LF haven't really considered it, some bantam breeds probably don't scratch as much as large birds.
I often find the Wyandottes buried up to their necks in bedding, trying to raise as much dust as possible, hard to begrudge them that. :)
I had a couple of kitty litter boxes in the barn when we had barn cats, and of course the cat's used the chicken bedding and chickens used the kitty litter boxes for dusting, and boy there was clay all over the place.
0

Post Reply

Return to “Coop Designs and Building Plans”