"Sand boxes" for chickens

[chicachic]

I read several comments on this site mentioning sand boxes in the chicken runs. I was wondering if they would keep the chickens from making huge ditches in the dirt? I almost broke an ankle closing the doors the other night. Also, how does one "teach" the birds to bathe only in the sand boxes? I will make a sand box with a roof to keep it dry if that's a good idea. Any suggestions?

 

[teach1rusl]

A sandbox would probably help with the digging ruts in the dirt, but there are no guarantees. I'd place it near an edge or corner, since that's where mine tend to do most of their dust bathing. Do make a cover for it, because I've wasted a lot of sand in the past for not having a top...
Once you get your sandbox situated, you could try laying strips of chicken wire (or other wire) down flat along the edges of your run (maybe secure with stones or landscape fabric staples) to discourage digging in the dirt...?

 

[gryeyes]

Originally, I put the sand boxes in the run areas, under cover so the rain wouldn't get into them. This was so the chickens could still do dust baths even when it was raining. I've left them in place because the chickens like them. I also toss some sand in a low place in the run where they previously bathed, and they like that too.

I replenish the boxes when they get low on sand.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I have one of those Turtle Sandboxes for kids. I toss in some playsand and DE. The girls do the rest

 

[SandyK]

No, it won't keep them from digging everywhere else. Ask me how I know. But they do prefer their sandbox, so maybe it at least helps keep the digging down a bit. What I do think helps, is having lots of grass clippings, leaves, weeds, straw or hay down everywhere. We have a good sized run that is a bit sloped. So all the stuff above gets scratched to the bottom half, it must be a foot deep. So when they dig down there, no holes, just digging through everything. Up where the dirt is bare, they dig some holes.

 

[BankerJohn]

my floor is one big sand pit. In a corner I keep a catch pan, designed for changing automotive oil, filled with about 2# DE. They dust in the DE more than anything.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I have a sand "box" (tub) in my run, which also consists of sand and they do use it, but not exclusively. I put it in there this winter when the ground got too frozen for them to dustbathe. They're diggers and they're going to dig and sunbathe wherever they are inclined to do so. You might just want to keep a shovel handy and fill in the holes after they dig them, that's what I do.