Who uses sand in the coop?

[Tlmcq]

A pitchfork with hardware cloth over it works well for a litter scoop too. My coop has solid floor and sand just works out well for us. We do use paver sand and not play sand. The paver sand is not as fine and is great as grit for them too. So has dual purpose.

 

[snow5164]

A pitchfork with hardware cloth over it works well for a litter scoop too. My coop has solid floor and sand just works out well for us. We do use paver sand and not play sand. The paver sand is not as fine and is great as grit for them too. So has dual purpose.

They need real grit ... I was sternly told on this site that sand is not grit!!! It is too small and will not stay in their gizzards .

I too use sand in my coop and my run... new sand in coop becomes old sand in my runs . I love it no more
" slip and slide !!"on the poopy hay we started out with .

Add a little ash or de to a corner and let the dust bathing begin

 

[Tlmcq]

Some sand is too small, that is true. Which is why I won't use anything but the paver type. And actually was told here to use that for my younger birds. I do put actual grit out but they barely if ever use it. They get most of it from the sand and the yard here.

 

[L2fly]

I use sand inside my 4x6 coop. My 6 ladies only sleep in there, they are out in deep litter run during the day. I love it! I just scoop it out like kitty litter every day or so as i collect eggs. When it gets dusty I spray it with a spray bottle of water mixed with a few drops of citronella oil and vinegar. 2x a year i clean it out and add 2 more bags. I may have to add another bag in between because you lose sand as you scoop.

I have a small coop & run with only three birds, so I use shavings in the coop, and sand in the run. Scoop the poop in the shavings under the roost every morning, use my dog poop rake to rake the sand into a pile and then sift out poop with kitty litter scoop in the evening while the ladies get to free-range. Takes 10 minutes a day, tops. Once a week I dump the litter in the coop tray and do a more thorough rake job in the run. One a month I scrub coop roost & walls. (Don't ask me how they get poop on the walls!) So far, so good!

 

[L2fly]

Some sand is too small, that is true. Which is why I won't use anything but the paver type. And actually was told here to use that for my younger birds. I do put actual grit out but they barely if ever use it. They get most of it from the sand and the yard here.

I use sand that we had in old sand bags during the risk of flooding last winter... I'm guessing its construction sand. And I'll throw out larger grit once a week after raking the run, gives them larger options. I agree, they seem to find what they need!

 

[AllynTal]

They need real grit ... I was sternly told on this site that sand is not grit!!! It is too small and will not stay in their gizzards... .

If you use the correct type of sand, it is just as good as store-bought grit. The term "sand" gets used for a variety of materials, some of which are not suitable for our uses with chickens. I use all-purpose sand (also called coarse sand or construction sand) and I process my own birds. I open the gizzard on every bird I process, and I promise you, there are adequately-sized grit particles in there.

 

[L2fly]

View attachment 1056177

OMG what adorable fluff-balls! <3

 

[Hross1213]

Thank you so much! I'll search that section now and lick up PDZ. Anything to help that place smell better haha