Got sand? You should!

[Aconne10]

My chickens live in their run. It is 10' x 4'. Currently I am using pinestraw as bedding because I have two big pine trees in my yard so it is free. It is not very easy to clean however. About once a week I will go out and rake the old layer of pinestraw out and put a new layer in. I have been thinking about sand for a while because of the ease of cleaning as well as keeping the smell down. My only concern is if they would eat the sand. I have a feeder for them but they also like to spread food out on the ground and scratch for it. If they were scratching for feed directly out of the sand they would definitely eat some of it. Would this hurt them? I know they eat small stones for their gizzard but what about sand?

 

[Mrwinchester]

I haven't seen it anywhere else, but I'm sure it is available but where ?

 

[jstlitlome]

I just switched to sand and all was working great! But yesterday I went out and everything was all wet! I'm not sure if it is because my waterer got tipped or my coop leaks. Putting a gutter on my coop.

But not sure how to dry out all this wet sand! I have locked the girls out yesterday and today to open it up and let it air out, but its so humid and is going to rain again tomorrow.

Wet sand is not as miraculous as dry sand.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I just switched to sand and all was working great! But yesterday I went out and everything was all wet! I'm not sure if it is because my waterer got tipped or my coop leaks. Putting a gutter on my coop. 

But not sure how to dry out all this wet sand! I have locked the girls out yesterday and today to open it up and let it air out, but its so humid and is going to rain again tomorrow. 

Wet sand is not as miraculous as dry sand. 

What do you mean everything was wet? Was it flooded? Did it ever dry up? When it rains at my place, the sand dries up.

 

[RJSchaefer]

I'm going to be putting sand in my coop. Question, though, can I layer it over lime? I have pigs in there already, and know they do OK with river sand - we'll actually be using construction sand from a local gravel pit. I wanted to sprinkle the whole floor with lime, then an inch or three of sand, then straw/hay over that in the pig pens.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
I was at Gander Mountain last week. Was walking thru the turkey frying equipment aisle. (yeah, they really do have one!). Anyway, they had a long handled metal scoop for skimming in a deep fat fryer. It looked perfect for scooping poop in a coop with a sand floor.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modpe...Mesh-Skimmer&i=412211&aID=505O4C&merchID=4006
It was the one with the 36 inch handle. Nice thing I like about it was it looked like it could stand repeated disinfecting.
Just saying.
Karen

 

[kuntrygirl]

Is there anyone who doesn't scoop poop in their runs? I have never scooped poop. I just work the poop in the sand. No smell, no problem.

How often do you all scoop poop and how much poop are you scooping? How many birds do you have that you're having to scoop poop>?

 

[jstlitlome]

What do you mean everything was wet? Was it flooded? Did it ever dry up? When it rains at my place, the sand dries up.

The sand was wet, in the coop. It has a wood floor (painted) and the poop was all gooey in with the sand. Impossible to separate with a scoop. Easier today. I opened the doors today and locked the girls out one more day. Hoping its dry by tomorrow.

I am getting gutters on the back today, because I think its leaking through the back doors, but it also could have just been the waterer leaking. Problem was there was just too much water!

 

[kuntrygirl]

What do you mean everything was wet? Was it flooded? Did it ever dry up? When it rains at my place, the sand dries up.

The sand was wet, in the coop. It has a wood floor (painted) and the poop was all gooey in with the sand. Impossible to separate with a scoop. Easier today. I opened the doors today and locked the girls out one more day. Hoping its dry by tomorrow.

I am getting gutters on the back today, because I think its leaking through the back doors, but it also could have just been the waterer leaking. Problem was there was just too much water!

Ooooooooh ok. Gotcha'.

 

[Mrwinchester]

The sand in my brooder was great for the first three weeks, and then the amount of moisture produced by the chicks and the high ambient humidity the sand never dried out i kept reworking it in with dry sand but it was out of control. The smell of ammonia was terrible . I thought i had adequate ventilation but i have to re think the whole brooder setup. I finally put the chicks in the coop and run and they are so much happier.I don't think i will use sand in the brooder next time. M.W.