Sweet PDZ?

[Kusanar]

Quote: PDZ is the mineral zeolite..... the granular is crushed to a sand-like size....but it's not sand.
Thus the price difference.
I pay about $10 for a 25# bag of PDZ......
....and about $4 for a 50# bag of washed, kiln dried sand.

Depending on your coop size @FlyWheel it could get quite expensive, anything breathing the dust could be an issue, and eventually it will become saturated with pulverized poop (just like sand does) and/or reach it's ammonia absorbing capacity and have to be totally changed out.

I did say it was pretty much sand, it's a crushed rock, same as all man made sand, it has different properties, but then again, granite crushed to sand and limestone crushed to sand are also very different. It is more expencive because of those properties (and the marketing) but as far as being a crushed rock and how it behaves in the floor of a coup (sifting ability, the way it feels when you step on it, dust, heat holding ability, etc), it's pretty much the same thing.

 

[Sherol]

Call power company and get free wood chips. I piled chips several inches deep and has drained fine. Also keeps ground cool. They love scratching around in them Too.

 

[Chickiebaby49]

I tried sand at first (just like what your picture shows) and it got VERY stinky fast! Shoveled it all out of the coop into the run and just put down a few bags of PDZ on the floor with the straw and pine chips on top and totally took care of the smell.

 

[FlyWheel]

Good point!

As cute as your profile location is @FlyWheel it's not very helpful.
Would also be good to know what your coop looks like.

Actually there is a link to the thread containing my coop right under my location. I'll save you the trouble though. My coop is made from a retired dog house which I expanded and is 8' long x 4' wide x 4' high. I'm thinking of making something bigger as it can be rather difficult to get into and work in this one now that I have the roosts in place. Besides I'm thinking that 32 ft2 may not be enough now that my flock has potentially increased to a dozen.

I tried sand at first (just like what your picture shows) and it got VERY stinky fast! Shoveled it all out of the coop into the run and just put down a few bags of PDZ on the floor with the straw and pine chips on top and totally took care of the smell.

That might be a better idea. Would this be more, or less, expensive than buying a premixed bedding, like Koop Klean?

 

[hinlock]

Can you sprinkle some in the run area to sweeten it up?ITs covered but the sand does get damp when it rains.

 

[aart]

Can you sprinkle some in the run area to sweeten it up?ITs covered but the sand does get damp when it rains.

Yeah, maybe.....but it would take a lot, depending on the size of your run, and be a short term solution at best.
IMO it would be better to get rid of the sand and replace with(or cover with) a mix of dry plant matter.

Here's a great description of contents and how to manage organic 'bedding' in a run or coop...and there's a great video of what it looks like.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1037998/muddy-run-help-please#post_16017992
That thread is about a muddy run, but same applies to any too wet, and thus stinky, run ground.

 

[hinlock]

Yeah, maybe.....but it would take a lot, depending on the size of your run, and be a short term solution at best.
IMO it would be better to get rid of the sand and replace with(or cover with) a mix of dry plant matter.

Here's a great description of contents and how to manage organic 'bedding' in a run or coop...and there's a great video of what it looks like.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1037998/muddy-run-help-please#post_16017992
That thread is about a muddy run, but same applies to any too wet, and thus stinky, run ground.

Thanks so much for the input

 

[olsenfamily]

Is PDZ ok if the chickens peck at it and eat it????

 

[aart]

Is PDZ ok if the chickens peck at it and eat it????

Won't hurt them to eat some.....you don't want them gorging on it.

 

[Toothpick]

I'm considering using this on the bottom of my coop. But it's exposed to the weather. It will likely get really wet when it rains. How will this effect the Sweet PDZ? Will I have to change it every time It rains?

Thanks!