Got sand? You should!

[WinterLadyAK]

I'm really interested in using sand! Can anybody tell me if there is anything "bad" about using it? Can you use it for all ages of chickens, chicks included? It sounds so easy to keep clean, almost too good to be true. There has to be a downside to it somewhere. Lol. Will it hurt them if they eat too much of it, and do they know when to stop eating it. Any help is appreciated!

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 spring (which should be here eventually) so we can have another 6 months of the chickens dust bathing everywhere. Since your in Kansas the cold might not be a huge issue for you.

 

[Scott H]

How cold is really cold?

 

[KayleighW]

Would anybody be willing to post some pictures of the sand you use in the coop? I'm confused at the different types of sand I've seen mentioned. I can understand the problems if the sand is too big, but what's bad about it being too small. I don't want to get the wrong sand!

 

[Going Quackers]

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 spring (which should be here eventually) so we can have another 6 months of the chickens dust bathing everywhere. Since your in Kansas the cold might not be a huge issue for you.

ok, that answered my question on what about really cold places? yikes!

 

[sunflour]

Would anybody be willing to post some pictures of the sand you use in the coop? I'm confused at the different types of sand I've seen mentioned. I can understand the problems if the sand is too big, but what's bad about it being too small. I don't want to get the wrong sand!

We used sand in brooder, now have sand in coop and run. Bought builder mason type sand, cost was $30 for a regular truck load. Local independent landscape supplier loaded it in our truck and we shoveled it in. It was somewhat damp but dried in a few days. Poops dry fast and it is fairly easy to clean. Chicks in coop/run now for 3 weeks and love to scratch and bathe in it.

Coop pic before they moved in:





Pic of run after 3 weeks in new home:

 

[WinterLadyAK]

How cold is really cold?

 

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.

 

[KayleighW]

We used sand in brooder, now have sand in coop and run. Bought builder mason type sand, cost was $30 for a regular truck load. Local independent landscape supplier loaded it in our truck and we shoveled it in. It was somewhat damp but dried in a few days. Poops dry fast and it is fairly easy to clean. Chicks in coop/run now for 3 weeks and love to scratch and bathe in it.

Coop pic before they moved in:





Pic of run after 3 weeks in new home:

Thank you! It looks more fine than what I was expecting. I will try to find somewhere local to buy sand, and I'm really excited about this. I can't believe I've never heard of using sand with chickens before.

 

[MKoehling]

I acquired my hens in the summer of 2010.  Based on the information I read here, and the fact that I have a wood shop, I put wood shavings on the floor of my hen house.  The hen house is 10' by7' inside, and I have 11 birds.  The wood shavings (4" deep) with occasional DE worked well for a while.  After a few months, with daily cleanings, it began to get dusty in the house and the wood shavings were not particularly "kitty litter scooper" friendly.  I was throwing out a lot of wood shavings with the poop.  When I couldn't take the dust level in the house any more I shoveled it all out and was going to start over.  After shoveling it out I decided this would be a good time to try sand instead of wood shavings.  I'm not sure how to best convey this message but I'll give it a try, SWITCH TO SAND.  There is no comparison.  The sand is much easier to maintain.  Odor is down.  Dust is down.  Poop, clumps and scoops easier.  When I step out of my hen house I no longer have poop and wood shavings caked to my shoes.  I'm one of those guys that needs to be hit over the head with a new idea before I'll change what I've been doing.  If you think you might be like that also, then consider this a smack to the back of your head, SWITCH TO SAND.  I telling you, there's no comparison.  It takes half as much time as it used to, to clean out the house.  It takes 30 seconds to rake the floor with a garden rake to reveal the clumps that need to be scooped.  I have a board under the main perch which catches most of the poop.  I use the kitty litter scoop to dust the board with sand so poops don't stick to it.  It takes less than 5 minutes a day to keep the hen house very clean.  I don't know if the hens are happier, but I definitely am.

 

[MKoehling]

Thank you for the smack to the back of my head!! We have been mulling over this subject for a month. Our first try at chickens. Currently, we have an elevated hen house with the floor being 1/4" metal mesh. You suggest me putting a thin wood subfloor with sand on top? How thick is the sand?

 

[Meld75]

Any specific type of sand better than others to use? And do u put DE down once u put the sand in? And where do u buy DE? It's starting to get warm here and I'm thinking if switching to sand vs wood chip bedding for easier cleaning.