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any ideas as to what to paint my hen house with to help waterproof it for winter ??

If have chickens already there, use 'water based' fence treatment..it is quite cheap you can freely slap it on without worry for harming your girls, plants and any other wildlife...it doesn't smell neither...anything contact with the 'pain' is easily cleaned with water.

If you don't have chickens living it there...use oil based wood treatment...it gives better and longer lasting protection..but it they tend to have little bit smell until its dry and it stains anything and everything and oil based ones are bit more expensive to buy. Be careful not splash it on all over the place!

As always, Goodlife is on the money.  I'd just add:

• if you are able to keep the house free of chickens for several weeks, an internal coat of creosote (or creosote substitute) is the very best protection against red mite.
• don't seal the wood with a paint intended for windowframes.  The coop needs to breathe, so the recommendation for a water-based treatment such as Cuprinol Garden Shades is doubly important.  Be aware that it won't last for many seasons, though.