Has any one in Western NY used sand in run and/or coop?

[Kylea0219]

I am thinking of using sand in my run and in my coop. I am going to use a dropping board with sweet pdz. I am very concerned about smell in the run. My coop is going to be kind of near my house so I don't want to smell it. Also I am not building a roof for my run. Maybe in the future but not now. so I am worried about when the run gets wet from rain its going to stink. is sand going to be the best option? Sand in the coop will that be really cold in the winter? It gets pretty cold here. It stays around 0 for months some times.

 

[crumptz]

Hi-
I can't answer the question of whether or not it will be too cold to have sand. However, I can say that when you have chickens, they will smell. I have had them for years. Personally, I don't think they smell terribly bad though.

I've used pine shavings in coop and run. Worked well in coop but I have a love/hate opinion of it in my run. On the plus side, it smells good for the most part when it is kept clean. On the hate side, my 4 hens really scratch it up with the dirt underneath and it requires me to add shavings more than I'd like to keep it looking and smelling good. I have used straw in both and it was not a good choice for me- bugs and mold issues. I'm now using sand in the coop. (this is new for past month) It's easy for me to clean up using a cat litter scoop with a long handle. I have to do this every day though (when I did deep litter method with shavings I only had to clean the coop weekly at most).

I tried not having a cover on my run for a while but it wasn't a good idea for me. Whenever it rains the coop gets to be a wreck, the food gets spoiled and the water gets messed up too. I now use plastic corrogated panels and remove them when the weather is good.

I know this doesn't answer all your questions but hope it was useful info.

 

[arkwelded]

I just go with dirt. Some sand is ok. I covered my run it is a predator proof place for the chickens. Good place to have food dispensers and it allows me to keep my chickens dry during extended rains. In the winter I cover my run with clear plastic sheeting to give them a break from the winds. I also let my flock out of the run into a 50x20 uncovered paddock during the day. They also get free roam of the garden and yard when me and the dog are out.
In my roost I use straw on the floor and shavings in the nests. They rake it out and some gets in the run. I did have a bale of straw I left having in the run , the tore it down and raked it all over the run floor....so it have to get that out in the spring.

 

[yellowchicks]

If the run is not covered and the bedding get wet, it will smell. Also, the wet sand will freeze into a chunk of cement.

My run is covered with a clear roof and clear panels on the sides. I used pine shaving for DLM. I rank it everyday so it doesn't smell, works great. However, if after a large storm where the bedding on the ground gets wet, it does smell, I would just add more pine shaving to dry it up. If there is no roof in the run, the bedding won't stay as dry, then you won't be able to control the smell.

We also have a dust bath pen under the raised coop, it contains wood ash, DE and construction sand. The chickens would kick out some sand along the perimeter of the pan, the sand gets wet from the rain blowing in, and form a cement ledge. Every other week, I use a metallic rake to break up the chunks, but during the winter, that area became a solid rock.

So I think sand will be great if you are in a dry and warm environment, it may not be the best option in the humid and cold regions.