Anyone use SAND in the run/coop

[Weasleymum]

I have what is probably a silly question for anyone using sand in their run. I'm a proponent of the deep-litter method, because I think that the chickens' manure is as useful a by-product of the eggs. It gets mixed into the carbonous bedding, then when it gets cleaned out, it all goes into the garden. So, if you use sand, what do you DO with the chicken droppings? I know they get raked out, but do they go into a compost, onto the garden, in the trash? If they're being composted elsewhere, isn't it more work than just letting it get composted by the chickens?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote:

I know they get raked out, but do they go into a compost, onto the garden, in the trash? If they're being composted elsewhere, isn't it more work than just letting it get composted by the chickens?

If you're raking them out, it's no big deal to throw them in a compost pile..
Fresh droppings shouldn't go directly to a garden

If your run is NOT covered, and it's NOT overcrowded, there's seldom a need to rake anything out at all

The birds scratch around and break up the droppings, and rain washes it into the soil

There is no REAL "composting" going on in your coop, because it requires high moisture levels,
and it needs to be deep enough to generate it's own heat

 

[Sam3 Abq]

I have what is probably a silly question for anyone using sand in their run. I'm a proponent of the deep-litter method, because I think that the chickens' manure is as useful a by-product of the eggs. It gets mixed into the carbonous bedding, then when it gets cleaned out, it all goes into the garden. So, if you use sand, what do you DO with the chicken droppings? I know they get raked out, but do they go into a compost, onto the garden, in the trash? If they're being composted elsewhere, isn't it more work than just letting it get composted by the chickens?

My 1st flock will be happening in the spring of 2014 - my plan is to use sand in the enclosed run and roosting house and to put poop from sand in the compost bin i have already built.
I don't see it as more work to do it this way. My outlook is not to have a messy/smelly run/hen house. Plan to use Sweet PDZ on a poop tray in the hen house along with some DE on the board too. For the nest boxes, it's up in the air between pine shavings, shreded paper or straw. 99% sold on the sand however.

 

[kschicks2013]

I clean up the droppings and put them in a composting bin. I'd rather take the time to do that then have them walking on their poop and just adding more shavings and/or straw to the already dirty stuff. Yes it takes more work but that's fine by me. My chickens coop is clean, doesn't smell and to me easy to clean. Don't get me wrong I'm not against the deep litter method but after seeing just how much poop they generate I knew for me I had to clean up more often. For me it was between deep litter and sand I chose sand.

 

[kschicks2013]

The poop dries out very quickly with sand and it doesn't get stuck to the straw or shavings. Makes it much easier to pick up too.

 

[pegm]

Thank you, I just didn't want to put in sand and then not be happy with it....

 

[kschicks2013]

No worries.

 

[along121]

My enclosure is about 12 x 16. I have a little store bought chicken house along the back wall. I used landscape garden stones and made a sand pit in the corner. It comes out from the corner about 4 ft and then across (like a large triangle) My chickens love it when I rake it and get the sand all loose for them. I made two more smaller ones under the little chicken house. In the summer all of them find their favorite spot and almost bury themselves in the loose sand. I have decomposed granite on the floor of the rest of the coop. It drains so good. Only part of it is covered. The sand areas are covered. Before we covered part of it the large sand had full morning sun. The chickens loved it. I did not cover the entire coop with sand because I walk around in it a lot and the sand was all over my shoes. I can use my ipad and insert a picture if you want to see it. It's raining here right now so I'm not sure how good it will look.

 

[kschicks2013]

The dg mix works so well and easy to clean. I designated a pair of shoes just for the chickens so I dont worry about sand or dust getting on them. I keep them by the back door of my garage so I just slip them on and off I got to take care of my girlies.

 

[fasschicks]

For those of you who use sand in your run, how often (if at all) do you do a deep cleaning of the sand (ie. wash it)? If you do wash it, how big of a project is it and what are the best/easiest/effective ways of doing it? My run is covered, so it doesn't get rained on unless it comes through the side of the run.