Alternative to sand for run?

May 28, 2020
529
679
206
Bonney Lake, Washington
We’re outside of Seattle and have had a particularly wet month (even more so than normal) and the wind has been insane for the area, 30-40 mph gusts over the past few weeks. We have a fully covered run with clear tarps around it all winter but somehow it seems like there will inevitably be one little gap that appears and the rain blows sideways through. As much as we clip everything down. I try to scoop it out daily like a litterbox, but still worried about some of the sneaky spots that stay damp beneath the surface that I unearth in a deep clean.

Obviously will be super diligent to keep things as dry as possible, but any recommendations for run floor material?
 
I thought of sand until a member reminded my how wet/humid we can get and recommended pine shavings. I've been using only shavings on the dirt ground in their Chicken House, until I read about DLM (deep litter method) which I then started. Built up my sides 4" and added shavings, keep adding as needed. There has been 2x when we had so much rain/flooding that the shavings got soaked, then I discovered Horse Pellets that absorb the water. It breaks down and they mix it in with the shavings. I have removed soaked shavings to tarps in the patio that dry up in about a weeks time, and return to CH. Any shavings that get kicked out, weekly I rake and toss back in.

I do remove "old" shavings when I need for mulch, just keep adding. Less work for me and it's been years. I do pick up the "big" stuff under their roost, they are confined and I've had no odor/fly issues. I do ferment their feed, used to have a poop board under their roost that I'd fill with PDZ but removed it (when I "quit" chickens last year) to convert the CH to a garden house.

What I do to hold the shower curtains in place during winds/rains it a rope that surrounds it. I over lap the curtains & if it's really windy I clamp it with my Hubby's clamps. Works for me.
 

Attachments

  • 20211113_065614.jpg
    20211113_065614.jpg
    574.6 KB · Views: 3
  • 20211113_083604.jpg
    20211113_083604.jpg
    1,018 KB · Views: 3
  • Chicken House:3.jpg
    Chicken House:3.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 3
I thought of sand until a member reminded my how wet/humid we can get and recommended pine shavings. I've been using only shavings on the dirt ground in their Chicken House, until I read about DLM (deep litter method) which I then started. Built up my sides 4" and added shavings, keep adding as needed. There has been 2x when we had so much rain/flooding that the shavings got soaked, then I discovered Horse Pellets that absorb the water. It breaks down and they mix it in with the shavings. I have removed soaked shavings to tarps in the patio that dry up in about a weeks time, and return to CH. Any shavings that get kicked out, weekly I rake and toss back in.

I do remove "old" shavings when I need for mulch, just keep adding. Less work for me and it's been years. I do pick up the "big" stuff under their roost, they are confined and I've had no odor/fly issues. I do ferment their feed, used to have a poop board under their roost that I'd fill with PDZ but removed it (when I "quit" chickens last year) to convert the CH to a garden house.

What I do to hold the shower curtains in place during winds/rains it a rope that surrounds it. I over lap the curtains & if it's really windy I clamp it with my Hubby's clamps. Works for me.
Super helpful, thank you! Are you worried about deep litter harboring anything? I suppose couldn’t be worse than sand. I just get scared I’ll create a good environment for bacteria inadvertently.
 
Sand gets hard when wet/soaked, my concern was bumble foot and hard landings for the chickens. I sprinkle either Sevin 5% or Garden & Poultry Dust or DE periodically and when I add shavings. Being that my CH is 'open air' the ventilation is good and they get up on the roost when I'm doing it. They themselves get dusted monthly rotating the three dust I mentioned. Don't like critters, especially those that bite.
 
Deep Litter is a compost (SLOW Compost) system, which tends to break down many pathogens as it works. I am not aware of much that foavors deep litter environments that doesn't also do well in sand.

While our little dinosaurs have been selected for all sorts of useful domestic traits such that they little resemble their ancient ancestors, the fact remains that their origins were warm jungle-like conditions, with a deep layer of litter on the ground and lots of moisture, NOT sand.
 
I just get scared I’ll create a good environment for bacteria inadvertently.

The composting reaction of a deep litter system neutralizes the poop.

IMO, the usual causes for deep litter failure that I've seen people complaining about (the symptoms being odor and flies), are either too much water -- often due to poor drainage -- or too many chickens for the amount of litter. The latter either being not adding enough litter or, more common, too many chickens in too small a run. :)
 
^ or too much green. The chicken droppings provides the nitrogen rich source that makes the deep litter compost work. The brown, dried leafs provides the counter balance that keeps odor down and keeps the system working as intended.

You can throw kitchen scraps, etc onto a deep litter system and not whack it out of balance, assuming its sufficient size and there aren't too many chickens for its area - but if you start dumping bags full of grass clippings approaching a 50/50 green/brown ratio like a hot compost pile, you have the potential for LOTS of problems. Typically mildews and molds, mushrooms and the like. Sadly, our chickens have surprisingly delicate respiratory systems.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom