Got sand? You should!

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: I think that may be the problem, and her drainage was inadequate
If sand is DEEP enough, it's "self maintaining"

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If I don't use sand in front of my coops the mud is so deep that it makes a huge glob on my boots and I almost get stuck when I walk there. After pouring sand there, even though the sand is wet and stinky (we get rain almost all winter) I don't sink into the mud and neither do my chickens. The coop stays cleaner and I use sand in the nest boxes and on the coop floors. I scoop with a kitty litter scoop daily after raking, and remove all poo every day. My coops never have ammonia odors anymore.

My runs are grassy, but right in front of the coop it gets muddy.

I LOVE SAND TOO!

 

[larry529]

I put gravel in front of my steps into my coop, best thing I could of ever done.

 

[kimmerjo]

I found some car mats at the local Samaritan House I put those I front of my coop door so I don't get a muddy mess.

 

[zengrrl]

I love sand but I feel as if I'm constantly having to buy more. I suspect they may be eating it.

 

[Joan71]

I love sand but I feel as if I'm constantly having to buy more. I suspect they may be eating it.

The birds will eat some of the sand. It helps them digest their food.

 

[Wednesday]

I thought the same thing today as I bought more sand in giant open container at Lowes, Weighs like 1000 pounds for 32 dollars. However when you compare it to the cost of hay or shavings to sand, the cost is nothing.

 

[jboettner]

How deep does the sand need to be? I am getting close to finishing our new coop for the girls to winter in. The hen house portion is 5' X 9' and the enclosed run is 10' X 9'.

Right now the run has grass but that won't last long once the girls get in there. The roof overhangs the covered run by about 15 inches but the hardware cloth walls are tall 8 ft on one side and 10 ft on the other. I plan to put up plastic to keep out the snow but the top of the sides will still be open for ventilation.

 

[Whoops]

I'm lovin' sand!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

How deep does the sand need to be? I am getting close to finishing our new coop for the girls to winter in. The hen house portion is 5' X 9' and the enclosed run is 10' X 9'.

Right now the run has grass but that won't last long once the girls get in there. The roof overhangs the covered run by about 15 inches but the hardware cloth walls are tall 8 ft on one side and 10 ft on the other. I plan to put up plastic to keep out the snow but the top of the sides will still be open for ventilation.

You need to experiment with it to find the perfect amount for you. In one of my coops I have about 2 inches and scoop daily with kitty litter scoop (always wear mask).

In another coop (shed) I simply sprinkle a bit across the wood floor after scraping daily with small plastic rake and using kitty litter scoop to get poo out. The purpose is to coat the floor so the poo doesn't stick. I don't want to make it deep since the edges of the floor get all wet in winter and I have to keep it all scraped away from there.

It works great for me- poop-free coops daily.