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I think I posted about this problem earlier in the thread... it IS a problem in cold environments. Several of my chickens lost parts of toes to frostbite this last winter (it was a REALLY cold one), and I think it was largely due to the sand. Too late, I put straw on top of it. That helped...

Sustained temps below 0F? We had 3 weeks of constant -20 and it was a problem. If your temps don't drop below zero often you're probably fine, but sand is still cold.

Only downside I know of is in really cold places the sand gets really really cold, and chickens can lose toes from walking on it all winter (I'm speaking from experience). Once I learned of this, I put straw down on top of it, and that helps. Now in the process of raking the straw off it for...

I leave food and water in the run all winter. I do have to heat the water (for 6 full months), but if your temps don't get too far below freezing you'll probably be okay. My girls do get sand in their water, even when it's in the run and elevated on a tree stump. In the summer I like the...

Nope, that's wishful thinking. I don't think sand will deter a predator. Even 6" of it, which after shoveling 2 cubic yards, I can tell you is very heavy!! You could put down your welded wire underneath the sand maybe, all across the inside of the run? I did an apron and buried it only a few...

I would say more sand would be best if it's possible for you. If you go 4-6 inches in the run I don't think you'll have that problem. Also just really pack the dirt down before you put the sand on it and then the weight of that many inches of sand should keep it really compressed? I have...

no don't use sand in the nesting box. hens love to rearrange the straw or hay or bedding that you put in there, i'd put something they can make a little nest out of. or they make nesting pads, never tried those but those would work too.

I wouldn't worry about having the same smell issues in the run. A brooder is a much smaller space, and I assume you're keeping it indoors? So you're not getting the ventilation you'd get outdoors, so the whole room probably smells. I've never had trouble with odor in my run. It will help it...

Well they seem to nibble at it, but aren't really eating it. They've devoured the tree stump that was behind the pine trees though. I'm new to chickens but I think that pine would be one of the few sorts of trees that they wouldn't gobble up right away. They even gobbled up the thorny wild...

I've wondered about this also. The coop is insulated, but at prolonged -20 I'm not sure how they'll do. So I'm going to play it by ear and watch them closely this winter. Might have to do pine shavings, I was thinking I could maybe just put them on top of the sand if necessary? I'd love to...

I'm personally glad I did wire first, then sand... but it depends on how deep you're putting the sand I guess.

This is a wonderful thread. I read every post, and it convinced me to try sand in the coop and run. Sand has been in the coop for over a month (bought the play sand from Lowes, started with about 14 50# bags), but just got the 4 cubic yards delivered for the run, and put about 2.5 of them in...

I was planning to do sand thanks to this wonderful post, but now am worried about the weight. Am I right in calculating that in an 8x8 coop with sand 2.5" deep I'll need something like 1200 pounds of sand?? Can that possibly be right? Our floor is pretty solid but that seems like an awful lot...

This post has convinced me to try sand! My chicks are still just in their brooder so they have the pine shavings, but I've been getting sick of the shavings already, even on a small scale. Thanks everyone for the photos and ideas!