Got sand? You should!

[KayleighW]

How important is it to get the right sand? I understand if it's too big you would have trouble scoop cleaning it, but if it is too small will it hold moisture and not dry out properly? I'm still confused on what is best.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have always used "washed" sand.

 

[kimthom66]

Ok I have been hearing a lot about this lately but I am brand new to the chicken world...I currently have 4 chickens in the coop and 10 x 12 run but have 4 chicks in a brooder. I do like to keep a very clean coop however, and have tried to kitty scoop out the poop with shavings and it's not easy!
So if I take out the shavings in the coop and replace with sand how thick? The coop is fairly small, apx 4 x 8. and what do you put in the nesting boxes? Can I use sand in the brooder? And our local Home Depot sells bags of sand? Can I use that?
Sorry so many questions....

 

[rockit62]

I bought some play sand from Home Depot yesterday and put in a large-shallow "tupperware" container for them to "bathe" in. They promptly pecked all the darker granules they could from the sand, and enjoyed doing it. Maybe they will figure out what it's really for. Man they crack me up.

 

[Waleschix]

My hubby is a builder and I use building sand/red sand. It both works fine

 

[NightHawk123]

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.

DE, I see it at my tractor supply store. Any live stock store should have it tho. I've never used it tho.

Sand type.... a few posts up someone posted a pic of 3 different sands. I use the one on the left. It's river sand. It's not dusty and its what chicken love. All chickens love dirt. It gets the mites off them.

I'll post pics of what I use but its the same stuff in the pic above on the left.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Napa auto parts sells a pure 100% DE under part number:8822

I use this in my Bonsai applications.

"it lead me to contact a mineral mine in Nevada and I found out that NAPA auto parts sells their freshwater diatomaceous earth as an oil absorber.
It is 100% Diatomaceous earth and is sold under the NAPA store brand name and comes in a 25 lb bags. it is around 6$ per bag and works awesome!! Make sure to get the 25 lb bag and double check the back of the bag and make sure it says diatomaceous earth in the small print. NAPA Auto Parts stores are all over the US and anyone should be relatively close to one."

You can also use it by rinsing the small size rocks and making a spray with a water bottle. "the murky water that is left after one initially rinses the diatomaceous earth for the first time is actually a mechanical pesticide. I spray the liquid on my trees if they get aphids and the aphids are gone the next day. The sharp microscopic edges of the Diatoms cut through the exoskeleton of the insect causing them to dry out and die."

Now this is in small crushed form, not pulverized and powdered.

hope this helps.

Are you putting this in the sand your birds walk in? Wouldn't that be dangerious if it's pesticide? I keep seeing where folks say to use food grade DE. ???

 

[AdirondackChick]

Ok sand lovers, here is my situation: 8x8 chicken area in side coop. I live in very Northern New York where our winters start in Sept (sometimes) and can last until, well right now it is May 23 and still cold (we have truly seen snow fly on the Fourth of July here). So, how does the sand do during the LONG COLD WINTERS? It can literally get -40 degrees here in Jan and Feb. Will a sandy floor become too cold and hold moisture and end up freezing in the winter?

What would be the best choice for floor covering for our winters?

 

[tiapet]

Anyone else have an issue with their chickens being afraid if the sand??
I just spent the last week making temporary housing for the girls, cleaning out all the pine shavings from the coop, putting in a ledge, and sealing everything with truck bed liner to put sand in my coop. When all was said and done, it was absolutely beautiful. He'll, I would have slept in that coop. The chickens however, did not feel the same. When showing each one the new digs, they clung to my arm for dear life and flaped a bunch of sand in my face. So, I put a layer of pine shavings (the bedding they're used to) down on top thinking I would sift it out later as they got used to it.
Only 3 of them went inside by themselves at dusk, the others were chirping for me loudly so I put them inside. Instead of using their perch, they all huddled together in a paranoid mass on top of the water dish (which I still need to hang :/ ). Please tell me they'll get over this. My husband will freak if he finds out we did all of this for nothing. Aloha!

 

[SobbaChickens]

Anyone else have an issue with their chickens being afraid if the sand??
I just spent the last week making temporary housing for the girls, cleaning out all the pine shavings from the coop, putting in a ledge, and sealing everything with truck bed liner to put sand in my coop. When all was said and done, it was absolutely beautiful. He'll, I would have slept in that coop. The chickens however, did not feel the same. When showing each one the new digs, they clung to my arm for dear life and flaped a bunch of sand in my face. So, I put a layer of pine shavings (the bedding they're used to) down on top thinking I would sift it out later as they got used to it.
Only 3 of them went inside by themselves at dusk, the others were chirping for me loudly so I put them inside. Instead of using their perch, they all huddled together in a paranoid mass on top of the water dish (which I still need to hang

). Please tell me they'll get over this. My husband will freak if he finds out we did all of this for nothing. Aloha!

My chicks did the exact same thing! They have had sand in their brooder for 3 days and are fine now but it was quite entertaining at first