Anyone use SAND in the run/coop

[Squeak4545]

I have a question. I'm going to be getting Salmon Faverolle Bantams sometime soon and I was wondering if the sand was OK for feather legged chicken breeds. These are going to be show birds so I need them to have very nice feet feathers that aren't broken or dirty. If anyone has ever raised feather leg show birds on sand let me know how they did.

 

[jtbass2756]

Squeak4545......Never had show birds but when I got my pullets (one was a dark brahma) its leg feathers were plastered to her legs. I have sand in my run but in all fairness, it is facing east to west and is under the south side of my shed with a roof over it. There is always shade somewhere. They must have come from a dirt floor. Now her legs are fluffy and the feathers have really come out and show well.Hope this helps. I love my sand and the ladies seem to love it too. Very easy to keep clean

 

[Squeak4545]

Ok thanks!

 

[Lynnette]

i bought a plastic manure shovel n drilled a bunch of holes in it. now i have a nice big scoop to sift the sand.

 

[Kiasmama]

I think I am going to do this in my run after the winter but I have a few questions. The girls are eating the grass now and enjoying that but I can see they will have all of that gone in about a month or so, but then winter will be here

Sorry I didn't see an answer for the question about hot sand in the summer on the girls feet. Is that a concern? Can the sand be too hot? Most of my run is relatively shaded, but does get some direct sun for a few hours a day. There is a shaded area via canopy in the run.

Also, they enjoy foraging so much now for bugs in the dirt-will they keep that up in the sand? Will I have to supplement more? I'm hoping by next summer I can let them out into the large yard to forage during the day, but they are just getting used to being here now (bought them friday!) Will letting them out to eat in the big yard be good enough to satisfy their foraging fun?

Thanks...sounds like this will be a good thing for the run by next year.

 

[FrogEggs]

Mine haven't had trouble with hot sand. But we don't have the entire run covered in it. (We do have sand in the coop, instead of shavings). The hens dig down to a cool spot, and dust bathe. We also have a kiddie pool in the run, which we fill with water on hot days, and dunk any that are panting.

We also got a mister, and connect it to the hose on hot days, to mist part of the run (the part with sand, coincidentally).

 

[kschicks2013]

I use sand (DG Mix) in my coop and the enclosure (Runs). I love it. it's very easy to maintain and the chickens like to scratch in it. I clean my coop and enclosure (Run) every day. I just take a bucket and a pooper scooper and pick up the dried poop and the sand sifts through back to the ground. There is no smell to speak of. You can mix food grade Diatamaceous Earth in with the sand as well. I'm a fan of using sand.

 

[Haven Farm]

I use sand in my run and inside the coop. It really makes cleaning a breeze! It actually dries out the poop which gets rid of the smell. It takes meet about 10 minutes to clean the coop. All that poop goes into my composted. I also put vanilla scented Christmas tree air fresheners in the coop. It really discourages flies. I will never use shaving or deep litter method ever again!

 

[Becki78]

I am really interested in the changing to sand in both the coop and run. I was wondering though, what are you using in the nest boxes? Sand or do you still use shavings/hay?

 

[kschicks2013]

I use sand in the run and the big enclosure the coop is in I also use the sand in the poop tray but in the nest boxes I use a mixture of hay and triple screened mallard shavings. The sand is great makes cleaning so easy.