Got sand? You should!

[farmerinKC]

I really hope sand is good to add to the garden. We have a sand run so when I scoop it and put it in the compost pile there is a lot of sand mixed in-especially after it has rained.

It does seem that since beginning to add chicken poop to our compost pile-it seems to compost more quickly.

 

[gale65]

I thought sand was good for the garden. People seem to think we're lucky having sandy soil here...

 

[stubbornhill]

Yes, sand adds in helping drainage. You're certainly not hurting a thing!

 

[Nonny]

From what I can remember of my hort studies years ago, sandy soil = good drainage, but too much and it can mean you lose all the water/mutrients you put in it, as the drainage can be a little too good. So adding alittle sand is a good thing, but you'd want to be careful not to tip the balance of sand/clay/silt in the wrong direction.

 

[chellejeff]

Unless you have sandy soil to start with I'd say it's pretty unlikely that you'd ever add too much with what comes out of the hen house. Sandy soil grows things very well and it takes a LOT of sand to turn clay sandy.

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

Just want to say Thanks to Jeff for starting this thread. I'm a newbie and found this thread this morning (and yeah, it took a good long time to go through, but WOW, there's so much great info there!). It's so timely, as I'm just finishing my coop / run and have chicks in the guest bathroom.
Really appreciate all the good advice - and thanks to IRChicken for posting the scientific studies. Again WOW - can't argue with those results.
BTW, Jeff - your coop rocks. Seriously. I'd move in ... whether I was a chicken or not. Thanks again -

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

PS - love your white dog...

 

[chellejeff]

Amy, your posts brought a smile to my face after a very long day at work. Thanks. We love Zoey (the white dog) except when I have to get her hair off my dark blue suit before heading into court every friday morning. Good luck with your chicks. I continue to be very happy with the sand in the hen house.

 

[urban escapee]

In the last month we...
1. Built our coop
2. read this article
3. filled the bottom of the coop with sand
4. bought our chickens and a kitty scoop

I love this option. It works very well, and it takes me less than 5 minutes to clean it out in the morning. I have to tell you I wasnt excited about the idea of scooping out shavings and for a newbie this idea is great.

 

[queenbeezz]

urban escapee, good luck with your chooks! Just a suggestion, add some DE to that sand and mix it in, it will help keep the bugs down. When the chickens bathe in it they throw it up thru their feathers and it will help keep the mites and chicken lice away. It is also good for the garden when you distribute the refuse from the coop.