Whitewash the Inside Of Your Coop: Recipe, Cheap and Easy

[mobius]

This is the old-fashioned stuff I love to do, and I have had some inquiries, so I am posting the recipe:

Why do it? It prevents lice and mites, and has a small-antibacterial effect.

Whitewash recipe:

For one gallon:

One gallon warm water, mix in two cups table salt til dissolved.
Add and mix throughly: 7 cups HYDRATED lime (garden or feed store).
You can add maybe 1/4 cup elmers or wood glue. Helps it stick and last...
Mix and keep mixing as you use. The lime can settle out pretty quickly...
Slop it on well..roller, big brush, rags....get in all cracks and crevices...
Dries more quickly if weather is warm....I even did the ceiling of the coop...
Goes on clear, dries white!

People do this once a year during coop clean-out!

 

[mobius]

P.S. It washes right out of your old painting clothes, by the way....and you can hose off any drips or splatters or drops with a good stream of water from the hose...or wipe off with rag and soapy water...

Many people use gloves while applying because whitewash can have a drying effect on your hands. Just so you know...

 

[yochickiemomma]

Thank you for sharing your recipe I think Ill try It In a few weeks when It warms up here. we still have white stuff on the ground and the girls won't leave the run/coop. lol

 

[mobius]

You are welcome! I thought it might be just in time for folks to gear up for the new season! Barely over snow here in Montana...

 

[Folly's place]

Love it! Thanks for the recipe! Mary

 

[mobius]

Mary, you are very welcome! Have fun!

 

[woods79]

Great I am building a coop now and was thinking of painting inside but think I will try this instead. Thanks for sharing.

 

[mobius]

Hey thanks woods79, I was just thinking that folks here could post pictures of their results, or at least say what you all think of the results!

You CAN add another cup of lime to the gallon, and remember it goes on clear and when it dries, turns white....

Tom Sawyer, here we come!!

 

[Tooshay89]

This is just what I've been looking for! We have a smaller coop now and realized it's going to be too small for our girls, so I have another one being built and delivered next week. I wanted to paint the inside but I really would like to sell the smaller one ASAP and painting is such a process (especially with airing it out and the fumes) so this is perfect! Thanks for the recipe! I'll post my results once the coop gets here!

 

[mobius]

Yay! @Tooshay89! And you are quite correct, there are no fumes, didn't even think of that!!

Just wear the gloves, that is mostly it, and go easy while adding the lime, it can be dusty, don't want to inhale it, if you can keep the water quite warm the lime will dissolve more easily....

I honestly think this is easier by far than painting, good for the chickies as well...and as someone else mentioned has that nice shabby chic look

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