My eco solution to rat problems

[cruisa]

Hello, me again.

 

This question has probably been asked in the past, but I can't see it, so I'll just ask myself. Well, not literally "ask myself" because obviously I wouldn't be able to answer, but you know what I mean.

 

Anyway... I've just received a spare set of 'Roosting Bars' & looking at them I thought, "Wouldn't they benefit from a coat of wood preserve".

I thought this might help them last longer, & I have just bought a big tin of the stuff in 'Rustic Brown' for my garden fence.

Its Cuprinol Timbercare & says on the tin that it is safe to use around plants & pets. There's no creosote in it.

It does say not suitable for decking & plain wood, but I'd say that's just because it wouldn't 'stick' to it very well.

 

So, has anyone tried this? Or is there a reason that I shouldn't do it?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Oh, & now getting an egg a day from both my two hens.

One thing I think maybe I shouldn't have done so early was feed them a treat of mealworms. they love them, but now every time I go into the garden, they both come running over to me like two miniature dinosaurs & follow me everywhere

 

~cruisa~

[hilda-and-evadne]

... I've just received a spare set of 'Roosting Bars' & looking at them I thought, "Wouldn't they benefit from a coat of wood preserve".

I thought this might help them last longer, & I have just bought a big tin of the stuff in 'Rustic Brown' for my garden fence.

Its Cuprinol Timbercare & says on the tin that it is safe to use around plants & pets. There's no creosote in it.

It does say not suitable for decking & plain wood, but I'd say that's just because it wouldn't 'stick' to it very well.

 

So, has anyone tried this? Or is there a reason that I shouldn't do it?~cruisa~

 

I bought Plastidip over the web - paint on (not spray on) version - which puts a plastic film over the bars. In retrospect, it might have been easier to use the spray (which was more expensive), as I couldn't achieve a smooth effect with the paint. I am sure the hens won't notice, though.

 

Wouldn't your roosting bars treated with the Cuprinol Timbercare still get soaking wet when you washed them and have to be left to dry out? Plastidip covered roosting bars need only drying with kitchen paper.

 

Anyway, I'd be interested in what other people think too.

[Egluntyne]

I've used PlastiKote spray with mixed success.

 

The first time it was absolutely useless....the second, it was better.

 

The pressure washer seems to blast it off though.

 

Whatever you do....spray it outdoors....wearing a mask...each time it has put me into what I can only describe as Status Asthmaticus.

[cruisa]

I think I'll give it a go anyway & see what happens.

 

I don't have a power washer, so no problems with that.

I haven't actually washed my original roosting bars yet. They do look a bit dirty, but I just think that just like wooden chopping boards in the kitchen, the wood will act as a natural disinfectant. I do wash our wooden chopping boards in the kitchen though

 

I think I'll just be washing the roosting bars with some warm water & pet disinfectant. Its not as if they have to look like new after cleaning is it?

 

~cruisa~

[jomaxsmith]

Our homemade Eglu roosting bars are treated with fence preserver. They're 'pimped' bars and have one bar raised for the hens to perch on!

 

My local poultry centre recommends using something like Cuprinol on wooden coops as it can literally fry any parasites so it must be fine on roosting bars.

 

I wash mine every so often with washing up liquid or Poultry Shield and the preserver stays on.

 

Jo

[Sarah B]

I think I'll give it a go anyway & see what happens.

 

I don't have a power washer, so no problems with that.

I haven't actually washed my original roosting bars yet. They do look a bit dirty, but I just think that just like wooden chopping boards in the kitchen, the wood will act as a natural disinfectant. I do wash our wooden chopping boards in the kitchen though

 

I think I'll just be washing the roosting bars with some warm water & pet disinfectant. Its not as if they have to look like new after cleaning is it?

 

~cruisa~

 

I haven't coated or painted mine but I'm lazy so I have 3 sets on a rota basis and it goes like this:

 

1 set in the Eglu

1 set left in the wind and rain for a week which then get scrubbed in the sink with Ecover and a scrubbing brush (they come up lovely)!

1 clean set in the airing cupboard!

 

[The Dogmother]

Mine are painted with Plastidip and they was fine, hardly any drying too.

 

As Egluntine said - do it outside though and be prepared to throw the brushes away - they'll be knackered.

[PennyTikkaNoodles]

I got hubbie to make a spare set of roosting bars using the existing eglu ones as a template. I then painted both sets with Plastikote green paint (to match the eglu). Unfortunately the first time I washed them the paint has scrubbed off in parts. Now I'm wondering why I bothered to paint them I also thought that the paint would make cleaning them much easier i.e. the poo would just slide off easier. It hasn't made any difference at all. I wash the bars every week with a scrubbing brush and a bowl of warm water with some Ecover liquid. They do come up pretty well if I scrub hard enough and then I leave them outside to dry off (weather permitting!).

 

Is there anything better than plastikote to protect the wood and make the bars easier to clean? Hasn't there been some talk about Omlet making plastic roosting bars? That sounds like a plan to me.

[sugarplum]

If i wanted to coat my roosting bars in Plastidip how much would i need to do the eglu bars?

[Blackrocksrock]

I had beeswax polish in a jar and I piled it on and left it to soak in - they are in the eglu from yesterday so I will know in a couple of weeks if it works too.

[lindyloodles]

When I got my eglu a couple of weeks ago the delivery guy suggested rubbing vegetable oil in to protect the bars and make them easier to clean. As I have a solid wood work top in my kitchen, which we treat with Danish oil to make it waterproof (and it's what they use on the wooden bits inside yachts too apparently) I used that instead. I think the bars are fairly easy to clean and although they aren't pristine, I'm sure they are a lot better than if I'd left them bare.

 

Incidentally, my roosting bars fell apart the first time I took them out. Wasn't expecting that but a hammer and 5 minutes later they were fine again.

[Stevie]

After reading everyones comments about the standard Eglu roosting bars-i think i might make myself a spare set out of a hardwood such as Iroko and does not need treating.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

If i wanted to coat my roosting bars in Plastidip how much would i need to do the eglu bars?

I bought one can of Plastidip and just managed 2 coats on one set of bars.

[sugarplum]

i was looking at the Plastidip website and would like to know if you brought the spray or the other one and which size you brought.

 

[Ain't Nobody Here]

i was looking at the Plastidip website and would like to know if you brought the spray or the other one and which size you brought.

Sorry, been away all day . I bought this:

 

• Aerosol Spray Can - Blue 311ml £ 8.00

[The Dogmother]

i was looking at the Plastidip website and would like to know if you brought the spray or the other one and which size you brought.

 

Hello You! How are you getting on with the eglu?

 

I bought the can of paint; it's a tad gunky and you need to use a disposable brush, but it worked well.

 

Regards to you and your Mum