Should I paint my chicken coop?

By painting the interior wood surfaces of a coop before adding chickens, you help protect the wood, make it harder for chicken parasites to hide out, and make the coop easier to clean.

As most chicken coops are made of wood, they all benefit from some sort of wood preservative. If your chicken coop is made from quality treated timber, then painting it is less important as the timber is already treated to protect it from rotting over time. Painting it will however keep it looking better for longer. Unpainted timber will lose its colour over time when exposed to the weather. The choice is really up to what you want it to look like.

What is the best paint to use on chicken coops?

Any paint designed for exterior use or as a wood preservative will work for chicken coops. Outpost recommends Resene Lumbersider paint or Resene Woodsman oil stain. Both of these options are Environmental Choice Approved and safe for the environment with no added VOC's or volatile organic compounds as they could affect the chickens respiratory system. Make sure the paint is dry and cured before the flock move in.

4 tips for painting chicken coops:

1. Always use a non-toxic paint or wood preservative.
2. Paint while the chickens are out.
3. Make sure it is dry and odour free before moving chickens back in to the coop.
4. Use the correct paint or stain for the job

Before you start painting your chicken coop make sure the timber is dry free from dirt, dust and other loose material. Make sure you read the instructions on the paint you choose to ensure you get the best results.

If your chicken coop is not new, then a good waterblast to clean it is recommended and then leave it to dry out completely before you start painting.

Should I paint the inside of my chicken coop?

It is fine to paint the inside of your chicken coop as long as you use non-toxic paint and let it dry completely before the hens go back in. Painting the inside of your chicken coop can make it easier to clean. Painted surfaces can be swept or washed down more easily than bare wood.

When it comes to painting the inside of your chicken coop you should go for a light colour. Chicken egg production is naturally affected by light, so a nice light colour inside your coop it may help extend your chicken’s laying season. A light colour also makes it easier to see any pests such as mites that might be hiding out in your coop. Avoid painting the inside of your coop red, chickens tend to peck at red. Also, matt paint is a better choice rather than a shiny reflective gloss or enamels.

Paint for your chicken coop floor needs to be robust as it has to deal with being scratched at by claws day after day as chickens scratch about in the bedding. Take a look at this article for some ideas about chicken coop flooring options >

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Does painting help with red mite?

Red mite is the bane of backyard chicken keepers and we are always looking for ways to get rid of them and make exterminating parasites easier.

Red mites are small bugs that are generally spread by wild birds coming into contact with your chicken coop. They hide in the dark spots of the chicken coop during the day and then come out at night to feed on your feathered friends. They’ll go hide again when the sun comes up. 

If you have an unpainted chicken coop and find red mite then a good wash and couple of coats of paint will help with clearing out red mite but won't prevent.

Painting on its own won't keep red mite out of your chicken coop but it can make the coop easier to clean and the red mite easier to see.

For more information about chicken mites and how to get rid of them see this article >

Colourful Chicken Coop Ideas

Over the many years that Outpost Buildings has been making chicken coops we have seen many different paint colour choices! Here are some of our favourites – thanks to our customers for sending us these photos!

The two Chicken Coops pictured above are our 1 Bay design, the first one has a Pioneer Red Colorsteel roof and blue walls with the timber framing unpainted. The 2nd chicken coop pictured has a standard Zincalume roof with the walls painted grey and white timber framing.

The 3rd chicken coop has a nice warm looking wood stain such as Resene Woodsman Heartwood. The photo above left is a  2 bay chicken coop painted red with contrasting white framing.

Above left is a 3 bay chicken coop that has beautiful flowers painted onto the tops of the nest boxes with orange timber framing and white walls. The photo on the right is a 4 bay chicken coop that is painted bright blue with the inside also painted but in light grey.

The 1 bay chicken coop above left has a Scoria Red Colorsteel roof with matching paint. The photo above right is a 2 bay chicken coop that has the most colourful paint job we’ve seen!

So there's our favourite chicken coop paint jobs we hope this will help you decide what colour to paint your chicken coop. 

Outpost Buildings make a great range of Kitset Chicken Coops that are strong and relocatable designs.