Anyone use SAND in the run/coop

[kuntrygirl]

CountryGirl,

Really nice set up you have there.  Lots of room for your Gals.  Is that a couple of peafowl I see in there?

Thanks Jim. Yes those are the younger group of peas in that pea pen. I have 5 young ones. And the older peas are in the other pen across the yard.

 

[jtbass2756]

Elmo, I think you just answered the ?? that I was going to ask. This coarse sand......is it or is it not the kind you would put in a child's sandbox?

 

[rhemerick]

How does sand in the run hold up with wind? Where I live in Central Oregon it gets a little (10mph) to a lot (35mph) windy every afternoon around 2 and lasts through most of the evening until after dark. Would sand just become a huge mess for us and start making the chickens sneeze?

 

[NightHawk123]

I use course sand from the river near by. Its not really dusty and does not blow away. It may have shells and sticks in it but that is fine. I have used play sand in brooders before and it is really dusty. Play sand might blow away if it's dry. River sand works great tho.

 

[NightHawk123]

River sand is much courser than play sand.

 

[Ga Boy]

Sand on job sites after most jobs are done they have sand left over. Which this sand is the best for your coops. They will most likely give it to you if you would only stop and ask. And your up for a little work. But wait until all the stone work is done. Lol

 

[CedarAcres]

After reading this, I'm thinking of switching our coop & run over to sand. Looks so much easier to clean.

 

[Blondy0103]

My run has a couple inches of sand in it. I have 5 bantams and I just scoop the poop with a kitty litter scoop. I think the sand keeps their feet cleaner because the poop dries quickly and doesn't stick to them. They love taking dust baths in it too! My coop still has shavings, but I am thinking about switching that to sand too.

 

[kuntrygirl]

After reading this, I'm thinking of switching our coop & run over to sand. Looks so much easier to clean. 

You won't regret it. You will LOVE LOVE LOVE sand.

 

[CoolClucker]

We sprinkle some DE onto the sand during the summer months when we know it will be dry for a few days. Helps keep down flies and we've never had flea issues.
We also add DE to the shavings in the nest boxes.

We use play sand in the runs and love it. Dries out quickly, wicks water away from feces and dries it out faster, too. Never noticed it being much hotter than anything else in the summer. But our runs are in an area shaded by trees in the hottest part of the day.

The peeps seem to love dust baths, but they hate walking on the sand when it's clean and white

Doesn't take them long to get it to be NOT clean & white!

What is DE?