[Mrs.Apron]

Hubby and I are collecting our girls tomorrow, so I've been putting the final touches into the coop, adding the hemcore into the nest boxes, etc and noticed it was still smelling a wee bit of varnish.

We varnished inside and out about a month ago.  It's a well-ventilated coop, but the smell of varnish when I opened the door freaked me out a bit, as I don't want to harm the birds.

Please, please tell me we haven't made a huge blunder!  

Also, the coop stands inside a very large, open fronted stone log shed for added weather protection.  Airy but sheltered.  They have access to a big outdoors run from there.

Thanks in advance of your comforting words!!

[Casey76]

Any varnish or paint used should be certified bat friendly, and you should air the coop out until there are no smells (smells = fumes)

[tortzblue]

Hi I'm only a newbie but....... I would take everything out and leave the whole thing open today in the the sun, and tonight to give it a good last air out, then see how it is tomorrow? A month should be plenty of time for it to dry and air out, I would have thought. I wonder what the tin said? Anyway good luck with your new girls!

[Mrs.Apron]

Thanks for that.  I have some non-toxic varnish and paint remover.  I'm off to strip the inside of the coop, and then wash it out and air it.  Hopefully that will sort it.  Can't believe I didn't think this one through better.     Oh well.  Off to crack on with it.

[Prod]

Is it a new coop?  & why did you varnish it???

[GrannieAnnie]

Personally I wouldn't use paint stripper at this late stage!  It will probably do more harm than the varnish.

Have you got any jeyes fluid or other strong disinfectant?  Spray it out with that, then leave all the door, pop hole vest open until you bring the girls home.  Put their hemcore in at the last mnute.

[Mrs.Apron]

The paint stripper is an all-natural one and has done a lovely job thanks.  It now smells of new wood inside! Yay!

We had varnished it inside after being advised to. 

So glad I got it sorted out in time!