Got sand? You should!

[Bobby Joe]

OK OK Ill go get some today, just kidding been looking for people to hit me over the head to put sand in my coop and run, Thanks , now where might I get some and exactly what do I get and about how much does it cost ....thanks

 

[kuntrygirl]

I use sand in my new peacock aviary and will be using it in my chicken coops and runs. It is the best!!!!

 

[gmendoza]

uhhh. picking up chicken poop with a kitty litter scoop is not my idea of fun.I use shavings because:

1. they are good for composting your garden with poop on em
2. I use them for my redworms. they love carbon and nitrogen


alot of people swear by pine shavings because of their gardens.

Beats shoveling out chicken poop with a kitty litter spatula

 

[jeb251]

Quote:
I take em straight out of the hatcher on to stone sand, its cleaner and much easier to take care of, best of all you can wash it and reuse it or put out on the garden

 

[kateseidel]

Most of my hen poop goes on the poop board, which I keep in about 1-2" of Sweet PDZ. Floor of the coop is a very thin layer of shavings which are cleaned out every 6 weeks or so.

The "sand" poop board is easy to clean, and no smell at all in the hen house. also provides a nice Zen rock garden kind of experience when I clean it.

 

[rolffamily]

Buschie's dozen :

ya will it freeze in Wisconsin in cold and snow how would it improve the heat in the coop? ya that info was not told so ill stick with pine shavings unless otherwise factual shown that it wont freeze and heat will stay not dissipate and make it colder! but good topic for smaller warmer areas let me know what facts you find?

Please don't think that my chickens are in any way suffering. They are not. The coop is very tight and draft free. The sand is light and loose, not a cold hard mass. The coop is usually about 10 degrees warmer than outside, but not always, since I do have a southern windown wide open at all times. I have 5 GLW in a 10x10 coop, so they don't generate a lot of body heat, but you'd never think they were uncomfortable if you'd walk in there. Sand or shavings; it's up to the caregiver; I'm happy with my choice.​

 

[mulewagon]

Oh, he was referring to the effect patandchickens' classic muddy run post had on his own strategy. She also likes sand, among other things.

 

[fargosmom]

I've got sand in my run - love it. Wish I could put it in the house but the floor has too many gaps.
Oh, the chicken house, I mean. Not my house.

 

[Talihofarms]

Quote:
We are on the Ill/Wis border.

Very cold right now.
The 8-10" of pine shavings creates heat through natural decomposition.
This is the standard in our area and many others since electric heat is not cost effective on large areas.
We put the shavings down in fall and add a little till winter.
Never have to scoop poo with a kitty shovel.
Remove the litter early spring as compost.
This is the most cost effective method for us.
Sand can and will not hold or generate heat.
At a little less than 1 ton per cubic yard it is a heavy material.
Much easier to remove the composted organic matter and use it as fertilizer.
Sand is not cost effective for us. I would be curious to see what the larger flock owners use.
Perhaps a poll would be in order.

just my ,02

 

[cabincrazyone]

Hi Chellejeff. I'm a newer newbie than you are, in that I don't have my chickens yet. I've been following this thread since your first post.
I've learned a lot here in the few weeks that I've been reading and soaking it all in. At first I thought hay was the the thing everyone used on the coop floor. I very soon developed the opinion that pine chips or shavings were the best material, using the deep thresh method. Now after reading your first post I'm intrigued. Everything you say makes perfect sense. I can get all the sand I can shovel at my lake property.
I must say anyone like me, who is entertained by human nature, can get quite a kick out of the diverse reactions to your "claim". I hope you're not put off by some of the statements. I've found that most folks here have hearts of gold.