Anyone use SAND in the run/coop

[Bella Blue]

Birds are quite different. They often use small rocks sand and gravel to AID in digestion so it shouldn't be a problem!

 

[jtbass2756]

Well you will really like the sand method if you decide to use it. Like cleaning a kitty litter box. Takes 5 minutes. Im sure you will make the best decision for you.

I so totally love my sand run!! As everyone has said..its so easy to clean and my ladies love it..! Went out there to feed up and change the water....my little flock of 4 had been having dust baths..!!! LOL

 

[kar-bear]

WOW.. all I can say is thank you so much, I have been reading books and have never ready about adding sand.

I have an ALL dirt floor, we just moved to this house and the coop was pre-existing, I have been working my "tail" off racking all the stray out, I need assistance with the best way to clean the dirty, nasty walls.. its it necessary to be sanitized or a good bush down with a broom would work? I can not reach the height of the walls to get all the cob webs, but I had my shop vac and trying to get as much as I can. I dont want to bring in a hose due to that would make too much of a mess with all the dirt, and may wait til spring to add the sand before I am able to put the girls into their new home. Its a really cool coop, its also built around a tree. I dont know how far the chicken wire is down into the ground, but yesterday I noticed some borrow holes next to it. I didint come across any kind of animals when I was raking out the straw but just concerned. I did lift a concrete block up and there were tons of some kind of little alive bugs under it, should I clean them out or let them stay and hope the die off in the winter?
karen

 

[kschicks2013]

Hi oh wow congrats on getting chickens. You will enjoy them. Well I would spray some disinfectant in the coop when you clean. Check online or on this site for the name and type of disinfectant. It's important to do that so when the girls are in it there are no fleas or mites or anything else that can get them. As far as the digging. I don't know where you live or what type of predators you have but definitely put some small opening wire mesh about 12 to 18" under the soil around the coop this should keep burrowing animals from getting into the coop. I love using the sand method so easy to clean. I use it inside the coop but not in the nest boxes. Sand dries out the poop fast. I also sprinkle diatomaceous earth food grade in the coop including in the nest boxes and their run/enclosure. Don't use playground sand if you can go to a gravel place and get decomposed granite mixed with sand. This has little tiny pebbles in it that they eat for grit. Let me know how it goes. Also sprinkle some of the diatomaceous earth food grade in their food as well this helps prevent internal parasites.

 

[jjakaus]

1 yard was enough for a 10x10 pen? I have 8x8 and am wondering how much I need. I also wonder about how to keep in in the run? Or don't they dig through it and eventually hit dirt and mix it up? Thanks!

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: It would be about 3 inches deep

 

[kschicks2013]

1 yard was enough with a little left over for a 10x10x6 enclosure as well as the coop which is within the enclosure. It doesn't blow around. Its not a fine sand which would blow around. The chickens will scratch it and move it around. The sand is at least 2" deep. I rake it a few times a week to even it out because they love to scratch in it and roll around in it like a dust bowl. I also throw alfalfa in the enclosure so they can peck through it and they do scratch it as well.

 

[TheGeekySheep]

For those looking to calculate cubic yards for purchasing sand in bulk:

(length of enclosure in feet) X (width of enclosure in feet) X (depth in inches)
324

This will give you the number of cubic yards you need for your desired space and depth.

 

[pegm]

How is sand for throwing down scratch for them to pick around in? Does it just disappear? I throw out some scratch every am with meal worms, and they love to scratch around in it. If it is a sand floor, it seems the grains would just sift on down.

 

[kschicks2013]

I don't see a problem with sand and throwing scratch and Mealworms they scratch and peck it up no problem.