What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[Tessa the Duchess]

Yesterday as I was scrubbing poo off the roosting bars, I wondered

if chickens HAVE to perch on wood? Could I cover the bars with that

old Blue Peter standby Sticky Backed Plastic? I am sure it would make

it easier to remove the poo. Anybody do this? or an alternative?

 

I apologise if I am asking questions which have been discussed

many times before, but I am a very new chicken owner - and loving

every moment of it!

 

Tessa

[beach chick]

some people use something called plasticote, which sounds brilliant to me.

 

personally, I am a deeply lazy owner, so what I do is:

s"Ooops, word censored!"e what I can off with a wallpaper s"Ooops, word censored!"er into poo tray.

scrub the rest with ecover & washing up brush.

hose down.

leave to dry in the sun.

if it has not come off by then, I tend to leave it!

we have 2 sets of roosting bars tho, so I reckon a week of exposure to the fresh air will kill any germs that might possibly be remaining.

[Christian]

i have 4 sets (well they were on special offer a few months ago and i can't resist a bargain)

 

I s"Ooops, word censored!"e away with wall paper s"Ooops, word censored!"er too, then wait until OH is using the pressure washer for his beloved car and get him to blast them. They come up really well.

[Tessa the Duchess]

Thanks for replies, I will look for Plasticote.

 

Tessa

[AMO]

Thanks for replies, I will look for Plasticote.

 

Tessa

 

Plasticote is brill - both sets of my roosting bars are done and now I can soak in soapy water to get rid of all the poo!! There is enough in a small tin (about eight pounds) to do two sets of roosting bars - but once the tin is opened reseal it if there is any left or it will harden and then can't be used.

 

Here is the weblink for them : http://www.plastidip.co.uk

 

Oh - only use old paint brushes that you can throw away once used.

 

Have fun!!

[craftyhunnypie]

I am definitely going to spray my spare set of mk2 eglu roosting bars this weekend, to help me with the cleaning! They have just got to be hot pink!

 

Emma.x

[Rona]

I am definitely going to spray my spare set of mk2 eglu roosting bars this weekend,

Be careful when spraying Emma as it sounds as if it is quite toxic stuff especially if inhaled. See the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) link at the bottom of the page.

[Cinnamon]

http://www.plastidip.co.uk/index2.cfm

 

Its actually Plasti dip you want to use,not Plasti Cote.

 

I think soemone tried both & the Dip was better - you can buy it in a spray can too.

I have used it & think it makes the cleaning of the bars much,much easier

[The Dogmother]

Definitely Plastidip is the one you want - I understand that the spray on one is useless for what we need. You can get it in colours, but I use the plain clear one.

[Guest]

I just look and the company sells it on Ebay - but for more than the prices listed on their site!

[Cinnamon]

Definitely Plastidip is the one you want - I understand that the spray on one is useless for what we need. You can get it in colours, but I use the plain clear one.

 

Clare, did you use the spray or paint on Plastidip?

 

I fancy doing my next lot in hot pink (as you would), but it doesn't come in spray form.

Just wondered if you had used the paint on how easy it was to use........

[urbanchick]

I am now tempted to coat the bars in plastidip. Do you think it would be a barrier against redmite if you paint the ends of the bars? And, silly question maybe, but do the chickens find them slippery?

[The Dogmother]

Definitely Plastidip is the one you want - I understand that the spray on one is useless for what we need. You can get it in colours, but I use the plain clear one.

 

Clare, did you use the spray or paint on Plastidip?

 

I fancy doing my next lot in hot pink (as you would), but it doesn't come in spray form.

Just wondered if you had used the paint on how easy it was to use........

 

I used Plastidip, which is the paint (Plasticote is the spray) It's quite gloopy, think of Cow Gum we used at schol, so as AMO said, use disposable paint brushes. I did two coats, letting it dry in between.

 

It isn't slippery at all, in fact it is used as a non-slip grippy coating on tool handles and other surfaces. I deliberately widged it into the nooks around the ends of the bars to make them more mite proof. I still wouldn't be complacent though and use your usual mite prevenmtion measures.

 

BTW, it stinks, so use it outside or a very well ventilated area.

[Cinnamon]

Clare, Plastidip also comes in a spray - thats what I used first time around

 

I might try the brush on version this time, as I think coverage will be better - it took about 6 coats of spray last time

 

 

http://www.plastidip.co.uk/index2.cfm?page=products&prodId=1

[Egluntyne]

Plasticote spray was fairly useless I found....and it gave ma asthma!

[Sheilaz]

I think I might answer my own question here, but did you all shave off a bit from the bar ends before applying?

I have 2 mark ones and can't always pull the bars in and out at the best of times & there are several single bars on a mark one). With even a thin layer they would be wors. Yes, I'll need to take off a bit.

How? and not too much or they'll drop down. Oh dear, that's why I bought new bars instead of making them, so they would fit. & they don't. But plasticote sounds such a good idea.

So those who have done it are all pleased with the result?

[Cinnamon]

I am really pleased with it Sheila - it makes cleaning the bars a doddle.

 

I didn't take anything off the end,but used the Plastidip spray which probably gives less coverage,so its not a ploblem.

I am doing another set in the bright pink paint on stuff next,so might need to nip a bit off the ends for that

 

How? - I am leaving that bit up to The Hubby

[The Dogmother]

Clare, Plastidip also comes in a spray - thats what I used first time around

 

I might try the brush on version this time, as I think coverage will be better - it took about 6 coats of spray last time

 

 

http://www.plastidip.co.uk/index2.cfm?page=products&prodId=1

 

That's interesting, must be a new addition beacuse they didn't have that when I got mine.

 

Sheila - no you don't need to shave any extra of the bars. Mine were a tight fit before I painted them and were a tad tighter afterwards, but that soon eased and they go in and out like a dream now.

[Sheilaz]

Thanks for info Sarah & Claret, I'll be getting some!

[Cinnamon]

Sheila, having previously used the spary & this time getting the paint on stuff, I would say 100% go for the spray verion.

It is so,so much easier to use.....the paint on stuff is a gloopy nightmare to put on

 

I wouldn't go for a colour either - the clear looks much better on the bars