Chicken Memorials

[Brookside Roasters]

Regarding the desire some people have expressed for plastic roosting bars (to facilitate cleaning and eliminate mites), has anyone tried painting the bars with the products used to rubberize tool handles? See, for example, Plasti Dip: http://www.plastidip.com/industrial/td/PlastiDip_UV.pdf.

 

I'm about to try this--so please let me know if this is a big mistake!

 

Thanks,

Brookside Roasters

 

(P.S. We roast coffee, not chickens.)

[Guest]

A very interesting idea. I can't wait to hear how you get on with this. I would wonder if the chooks might get blisters (can chooks get blisters? ) from their feet rubbing on the rubber? Also, if it's quite a smelly product, it might be worth leaving it a few days before putting the bars back in the eglu as you won't want your chooks overcome with fumes.

 

Good luck with it!

[chocchick]

My only question is could it be harmful if the chickens ate it, or inhaled any fumes when drying?

[PurpleHen]

Sounds like a good idea - do let us know how it goes!

[The Dogmother]

James wasn't at all keen when it was mentioned before, but I don't know why. I'd be interested to hear how it works and whether it would peel off.

[Homer & Marge]

Hi all,

 

I was having a similar thought, but instead using a clear-coat varnish, or non-toxic coating of some kind. I'll let you know if I find anything suitable.

 

Greets,

 

Derren & Rachel

[ubereglu]

If I were you I'd buy another set of roosting bars before you try it out. As if the chickens don't like it at all they won't have anything to perch on.

[kannie]

Sounds like interesting stuff, Brookside Roasters, but it doesnt seem to be sold directly in the UK. You'll have to let us know how you get on!

[Homer & Marge]

If I were you I'd buy another set of roosting bars before you try it out. As if the chickens don't like it at all they won't have anything to perch on.

 

I was planning to!

[Brookside Roasters]

I did it, and here's the report:

 

I bought a second set of of roosting bars, and used Plasti-Dip to coat them. Plasti-Dip is a rubberizing sort of paint (commonly used to coat tool handles), and I used 4-5 coats to get a reasonably thick coating. I thinned it a bit with naphtha, to make brushing on a little easier. Plasti-Dip dries quickly, only about 30 minutes required between coats. I then waited a week before putting them into the eglu, to be sure that all the fumes were gone.

 

The good news is that the bars are much, much easier to clean. They clean up perfectly with just water and very little scrubbing with a plastic scrubbing pad. Moreover, it is clear that nothing is being absorbed into and therefore permanently staining the bars. We've been cleaning the bars about once a week or so, but even on a daily basis the poop seems to drop off the rubberized bars (and into the paper-lined tray below) much more easily than it did with the bare wood bars.

 

We've had no complaints from our four ladies, who continue to reward us with 3-4 eggs a day!

[Guest]

excellent result - and what a great idea!

 

you should patent the idea and then sell it to Omlet!

 

Phil

[HappyHen]

great idea -anything to make cleaning easier as that means more time drinking coffee watching the chooks

[AnnieP]

Vrey interesting! Did you rubberise the ends of the bars too?

[Brookside Roasters]

Annie,

 

Yes, I rubberized the entire bar assembly, the ends as well, and made sure that every nook and cranny was filled with the rubberizing paint. When finished, it looked as if the entire bar assembly had a thick, seamless coating of rubber.

[The Dogmother]

Fab idea!

 

That would work well - my bars (both sets) are clean, but stained

[Charlottechicken]

I think I have seen a product similar to this in the pound shops, where they sell the red step paint. Is it a non slip type product which is clear when dry, which you can use on concrete and paving to add grip?

[Mel (& Paul)]

and if it comes in different colours you could have matching or co-ordinating roosting bars

[kannie]

Sounds good! Do you end up with quite a thin layer of rubber then? My image of rubber is of it being quite thick, and I'd have been worried about the bars no longer fitting! And is it see-through, if the poos aren't staining the bars - or is it the rubber thats not getting stained?

[Brookside Roasters]

While I haven't measured it, I'd estimate that the rubber coating is at most 1/16" thick. Not enough to make any difference in the bars fitting into the eglu. That was after 4-5 coats. It is opaque. The colors it comes in are yellow, red, and black. I used yellow, because the store was out of red and black.

[PurpleHen]

Think I will be keeping an eye out for this - sounds like a great idea

[Melanie]

I'm going to look into doing something similar. I've just ordered an eglu to replace my wooden chicken house and run because I have had such problems with red mites. But I am worried that there may still be a problem as the roosting bars are wooden.

 

Thanks for telling us about this - and yellow sounds funky

 

 

Melanie

 

(Waiting for a green eglu)

[Martin B]

Congrats eglu owner to be!

[The Dogmother]

I think I have seen a product similar to this in the pound shops, where they sell the red step paint. Is it a non slip type product which is clear when dry, which you can use on concrete and paving to add grip?

 

Do you remember who it was made by Claire? - I spent a fruitless Sunday morning looking for some

[The Dogmother]

I have just found a UK supplier for this stuff

 

 

http://www.plastidip.co.uk/index.cfm?page=products&prodId=1

[Charlottechicken]

Do you remember who it was made by Claire? - I spent a fruitless Sunday morning looking for some

 

The red step paint I bought was by Norver paints, and the non slip coating was in the same sized tin. The tins are half height ones, they do a whole range of utility type paints for different things. Look in your local cheap shop, not necessarily chainstore pound shop.