Anyone use SAND in the run/coop

[ambersparks]

I put 4" of sand over gravel in my coop over the summer and I didn't have to do anything with it. It was nice and dry and all the poop disappeard, it was fabulous. But we've gotten a lot of rain this winter and after a few weeks of rain I went out and the sand was all packed on top and it stunk, BAD! So I shoveled out what I could and fluffed it up mixing wet sand with dry and I've been doing that every week since. It helps but it still smells bad. The weather is getting a little bit drier and my chickens seem happy but I wonder if I should be doing more to keep it drier and cleaner? Do you remove and replace sand? If so how often. I can't imagine what a chore that would be!

Any advice/suggestions would be very appreciated!

Amber

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
Scooping the poop like a kitty's litterbox daily is what is recommended. My sand run will be covered and I plan on scooping a few times a week if not daily--or I may not find it to scoop it. Other folks I know do it that way and have no problem and we have very wet winters in the PNW. I can only assume it was wet poop and sand smelling so bad--but not really sure as I haven't experienced it. It could also be the drainage wasn't as good as it should be even though you used gravel too. Is it a high area or one where it normally would get wet?

 

[Germaine_11.20]

This thread is great

 

[ambersparks]

It's a covered coop and it gets decent drainage but I haven't been scooping as much as I should. I'll keep it up and then maybe mix in some new sand when the weather is dry again.

Thanks for the advice!!

Amber

Scooping the poop like a kitty's litterbox daily is what is recommended. My sand run will be covered and I plan on scooping a few times a week if not daily--or I may not find it to scoop it. Other folks I know do it that way and have no problem and we have very wet winters in the PNW. I can only assume it was wet poop and sand smelling so bad--but not really sure as I haven't experienced it. It could also be the drainage wasn't as good as it should be even though you used gravel too. Is it a high area or one where it normally would get wet?​

 

[DoubleH]

My whole yard is sand. My chickens have been in there coop and run for a year now and I havent had to clean anything yet. Its very clean and is great when it rains. Drys up faster too and they love bathing in it. Even if you choose not to use sand. You could make a small box maybe a morter mixing pan from lowes or somewhere like that and filling it with sand for bathing in. I also have a pig and a dog who love cleaning up the floors in my coop

 

[Short Rooster]

Thank you everyone for all your awesome ideas!

 

[consdrs]

I would not put down a gravel base. Just deep sand. As deep as you can afford. The chickens seem to want to redecorate or perhaps dig to china. The sand gets mixed into what ever they dig up, be that dirt or rocks. I put my poo in my garden and would rather have dirt mixed with sand and poo than rocks mixed with sand and poo. Kitty litter scooping with rocks is difficult.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
GOOD POINT!!

Even tiny smooth pea gravel equaling only about a 5 or 10%?

Oh well, since we will not have dirt getting into it due to the cement base I reckon pure sand it is.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I didn't read through your whole thread, so I apologize if this is redundant, but here's a very helpful link on the subject of sand:
We use it in our run and LOVE it! It drains great, is easy to clean and the girlz love dustbathing anywhere they choose!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=11374-sand-for-your-coops

Here's a picture of our girlz in the run (and Petunia, our roo)

 

[kathyinmo]

My runs are huge, and I have several. I used sand last year on the first one I did. I do love it!

This year, the price of sand has nearly doubled. I have opted to go with pea gravel, and am hopeful it will work. It is half the price of sand. Still, a truck load cost me $259.