Bedding

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Hi all, I am getting chicken soon however I am having building work done so am planning where my coop will go. I already know what the size of the run will be but I have read that mud isn't great to have as it can damp and cause a lot of problems. Which then came across about using sand. Just want to make sure the sand I have seen looks suitable here is the link http://www.builderdepot.co.uk/coars...vufGPi38hK1sBEV1zB3q4b9AqJ_M4G_p9QaAlzu8P8HAQ . If it isn't please tell me what sand will be good and if possible where I can get it from as it's very hard to find a shop in the UK who will deliver a good amount.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC !!

Personally my hens have large pens. The ground slopes and it's very free draining. That said winter can get muddy so I get a large bail of straw delivered which costs me roughly £30 and will last me until spring. (I have 40-50 chickens)
I use a good quality hemp bedding inside the coops.

I did look into sand but because my pens are huge it would have been expensive and would have still washed away. I was also worried by how hot it can get for them in the summer.
700

700


Because chickens strip the plants and there's a lack of roots holding the soil together I have planted things like holly bushes to provide shelter and shade and to keep the soil together.

I'm not sure what the right type of sand would be. I looked into children's play sand.
Best wishes x
 
I have been using a bale of coastal hay in my chicken coop and now i'm learning that mites live within the hay. Now my poor chickens are starting to loose feathers. I have now spread tree shavings down in their coop and the inside their box I will be changing that as well and nesting boxes. I'm also learning about the flu they can also get. I also sprayed sevin in and around before laying the tree shavings. Very stressful times and don't want to lose any of my flock.
 
I use pine shavings in the coop and originally used them in the nesting boxes. Then I did an experiment and put hay in half of the boxes to see which they prefer. In the next two weeks, ALL the eggs were laid in the nesting boxes with hay (none in the nesting boxes with shavings). So, we removed the shavings from the other nesting boxes and put hay in them. Now, regarding mites in the hay/straw, just sprinkle some diatomaceous earth (DE) in the hay/straw. It will keep the mites at bay. Earlier, we had a problem with mites throughout our flock and treated them all with DE. We did it twice, two weeks apart. Now all the girls have full feathers and no sign of mites.
 

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