Anyone use SAND in the run/coop

[SandyK]

My run is 25'x50' and slightly downhill so I don't have a drainage problem. The thing that I would be concerned about with an all sand run is the girls love digging for bugs in the dirt. Maybe a partial sand run would do, but I don't think it would be the same for them if they couldn't dig around in the real dirt. Right now I do have a huge sandbox where they take their sandbaths. So I guess my question is, don't your chickens miss digging in the real dirt for bugs??

 

[tri-5-ron]

Just thought I'd toss in my .02 cents for those who have asked how much sand they will need,or how to calculate it out.
I own a Concrete Business, so I go through ALOT of sand.
maybe these figures will be of some help in calculating your needs...

1 cubic yard of sand weighs approx. 2500 lbs. ---(depending of course, on how dry/moist/wet, it is)

1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet

1 cubic yard will cover ...

81.8 sq. ft. @ 4" deep
108 sq. ft. @ 3" deep
162.6 sq. ft. @ 2" deep

(so now, just to keep the calculations and divisors simple, I'll do the table as approximations)...

1 cubic yard, (or approx. 2500 lbs. of sand) will cover...

82 sq. ft. @ 4" deep
108 sq. ft. @ 3" deep
162 sq. ft. @ 2" deep

SOOooo,.... to figure out how much sand you will need,...
first multiply the area you are going to put the sand in,... length X width,
Then, if you want the sand 2" deep, to would divide by 162, (example: Length X Width, divided by 162)
or, 3" deep would be... (Length X Width, divided by 108)
or, 4" deep would be... (Length X Width, divided by 82)

Now, to figure it by,
"How many pounds will I need for 2" deep of sand?"

Just multiply your Length X your Width, then divide by 162, then multiply by 2500.

Hence, a run that is say 8' wide X 16' long, and you want 2" of sand in it,...
do it like this...

8 X 16 = 128
divided by 162 = .7901234
multiplied by 2500 = 1975 lbs. of sand

hope this makes sence, and is some help to anyone trying to calculate how much sand they need.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
Bugs "visit" the sand run! Mine scratch and catch them often. I also add some earthworms and mealworms for them periodically (OK, I am a sucker for their cuteness). They do get out in "real dirt" and pea gravel but love laying in the sand best. It probably depends on what they are used to but it is fun to give them choices.

 

[backdoorchicken]

ever since i added sand my chickens think they are on spring break in cancun

 

[chickerdoodle]

 

[SandyK]

Backdoor,

Mine do too. Sometimes it's a whole flock event!!

But they also, love digging for those big earthworms!

 

[PortugalBreeder]

Quote:
Another downside for me is that the soil where you had your coop, will never be good for agriculture again, as it gets very sandy (even after you take the sand of), poor, and bad fixing water. Unless you are willing to spend some dollars to making a soil test and correct it later using fertilizer and pH correction, this is not a great choice, for people with large coops.

 

[mcostas]

I had a lot of sand put down in my yard when we had an above ground pool. After we got rid of it we just leveled the area and the grass grew in just fine.

THen I dug it back up again for my garden. The pool part is a little sandy but it's been mixed with a lot of dirt and compost so the stuff I grew in it did great.

I am putting sand where my 10x10 kennel run is eventually. I am a little concerned about how well the yard will recover if I take out the kennel but the back yard has been through heck and still pops back. When we moved in it was a bamboo patch. It took months to get rid of that mess. It overgrew and covered everything. I was surprized by the grass came back great!

Then it was dug up again when we had the pool. It took a little longer but you can't tell we even had a pool.

We have clay under the topsoil and needed the drainage anyway.

 

[JimWWhite]

I just added some new sand to my run. When I put up the new run I layed down 2 inches of Crush 'n Run which is sand and gravel and then layed down another 3 inches of creek sand on top of that. That was a year ago. The other day I was noticing a lot of small stones on the surface so I raked up the stones and took off maybe an inch of the sand and hauled it out to my garden. Next spring the extra nutrients will be a blessing. Then I brought in two pickup loads or about a ton of new creek sand and spread it over the entire run. Now the Gals are enjoying their sand bathing again. One of the benefits of using sand is that you can use a hoe and till up the run and till in the poop to rot in. It keeps the ground clean. Then you can use some of it each year in the fall to spread on the garden and give it a nice shot of rich nitrogen and lots of organics to boot. And as someone else mentioned the Gals will get their feet exfoliated as well.

 

[smithhouse]

We live in Georgia and our yard is nothing but good ole Georgia red clay! From what I understand, having some sand mixed in would be an improvement! But I plan for the gals to stay put right where they are