Painting Chook houses

[sqweek01]

Hello,

I'm in the process of building my chook-house & was wondering what I can paint it with when I've finished, I know there's creocote, but is there anything that's safe for hens with a splash more colour?

Everything apart from my decking (which is green) is brown!

Regards

Clare

[Snadger]

Mine are all painted in white oil based undercoat cos I found a gallon tin hiding in the garage..........so now everything I paint is white!

[sqweek01]

That made me smile Snadger

I could possibly get my hands on some masonary paint or some gloss paint but don't know if it would keep red mite away.

I assume that as long as it's dry and not smelly when the hens go in whatever I do paint it with will be okay?

Regards

Clare

[Hilary B]

If you use gloss paint (or similar) you are risking rot. It isn't guaranteed, but paint that doesn't QUITE prevent water getting in (eg because there is a thin spot you didn't notice, or a small split has appeared) creates perfect conditions for wet-rot to thrive.
I believe the Cuprinol Colours range may solve the problem.......

[Smoggy67]

Cuprinol is the jobby, its not cheap mind... small tin cost me £11.... Great range of colours though.. and dead easy to apply, not thick or gungy like some you get..

[sqweek01]

Thanks for the info about wet rot, certainly something I don't want. Sounds like 'No-one does wood more good' then. excellent, I was looking at those in B&Q today and there's some nice colours

I'm sure my chooks will love it!

Regards

Clare

[bluemoon]

All our chicken houses are done in the Cuprinol Garden Shades range. It comes in loads of colours, which is why our chicken houses are Jade green and lilac or turquoise and yellow, etc. It was a compromise, our grandson had his heart set on an Eglu, but they simply weren't suitable for the numbers of chickens we wanted, or for keeping on the allotment. I'm now rather proud of them. The Cuprinol dries quickly and you end up with a finish which is more paint-like than other wood preservatives, making them easy to clean. We've done the insides white (called something like 'Pale Jasmine' on the colour charts). The plan is that this will maximize the light indoors and also make dirt and red-mite easy to see. I certainly haven't regretted using it. We painted the insides of the nest-boxes in Lavender, which makes them nice and dark. They also come in small (125ml) pots, which means you can do the trim in a different colour without breaking the bank, or use them to mix your own colours, which is how we got the lilac.

[sqweek01]

Thanks Bluemoon, I'll definately be using it

[Hans Mum]

or if youve got a Wilko nearby their own brand is much cheaper than Cuprinol and they do colours too

[tlck9]

hi bluemoon,

how did you find the drying times? for that stuff, I have a tin of brown fence protector, think it was ronseal anyway £4 on offer i was just worried as i dont have anywhere else for them over night

[vicky]

My chook house is blue (cluprinol) on the outside and white inside (gloss, seems fine). The white means you can see any mites etc before they get to nasty levels of populations!

The outside dried in a day but gloss takes longer and has fumes so I made sure I did that before they arrived. I don't see why you can't use pale emulsion inside for the same effect - or as Snadger says, whatevers in the shed!

[sqweek01]

Wilkos is an excellent idea Hans Mum, they might be selling it off

Man, I'm a cheapskate!

[bluemoon]

As I recall the drying times were very fast. I know we were able to get a couple of coats on in a day and they were dry enough to assemble the houses before we went home (I had a theory that they needed to be put together the same day as it's easier to pinch one that's still in bits). I didn't know Wilko made something similar. I might have to pop down for a look, the shed needs painting and it will obviously need far more than a chicken house.

[tlck9]

We have a trago mills, which is like a Wilko's and they had a batch of named fence treatment, so I will be looking to get that done at the weekend

Its just the inside, I want something quick and easily drying....perhaps a quick drying varnish may be the answer, something that dries in a couple of hours