Anyone use SAND in the run/coop

[Bard's Rock!]

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I use play sand for the floor in my coop, a 12'x12' storage shed and on the drop boraed under the roosts. I use a scraper to make the sand into a row and use a kitty litter scoop to sift the poop and then sift the poop from the sand on the drop board. Then I just fling the collected poop with as little sand as possible out into the yard. Oh and I use an old Kid's snow shovel to collect the poop. I'm retired so this is my morning chore after turning my girls out. It is a system I like and works well.

 

[clucky2]

Hey! I like your sand on the poop board idea.

Off subject...can someone explain how to highlight a portion of a post that you want to respond to? Thanx

 

[Billy7871]

Quote:
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Thanks for all the replies.
Billy

 

[kathyinmo]

Using sand is highly recommended. A good run with 6 to 10 inches of sand is extrememly helpful for drainage, as well as cleanliness, and worm prevention. It is not expensive if you buy it by the ton. I just bought 3 tons, from a concrete company for $30. a ton. I plan to get more, because mine is only about 2-3 inches deep. It is a good idea to sprinkle DE also, for reasons discussed in the numerous DE threads. The chickens love the sand as well.


Other worm prevention methods:

Keeping the grounds dry and clean. Use pine shavings (not chips) instead of hay, put down sand instead of letting them be on bare soil. These methods dry out the ground and worm eggs and bacteria have a harder time existing in those conditions. They keep the birds' area more hygienic and thus more clean smelling. It's WAY easier to clean, too!

For treats like scratch, use in the bedding instead of the ground. They'll fluff up and aerate the bedding for you, have less access to droppings and shed parasite eggs, and will dry the bedding as well.
Good luck!

 

[NancyDz]

Quote:
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Thanks for all the replies.
Billy

also you can delete portions of it , just don't delete the parenthesis and the words inside the parnthesis

I use sand in my run... havent in the coop , love it in the run though.

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

Just a curiosity, but how much does sand cost on average?
By the bag, truck load etc?
Ive been reading about this for a while and Im going to try it too!

 

[NancyDz]

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I buy it by the bag at Home Depot, I think it's about $2.60 a bag, definitely under $3 but I buy construction grade, play sand is double that price. The construction grade is still cleaned , it's just not as soft and fine as the play sand.. my chickens don't seem to care ; ) I have read on here that some buy it by the truckload also and get it even cheaper so if you have a gravel place you can go to and need a lot , that is probably the way to go. I think I bought 8 bags to start and add a bag once in awhile , i also keep a bag on hand for the dust baths for my coturnix... they love it too.

 

[verlaj]

I think we paid around $150 for a dump truck load of sand - I can't remember how many yards or tons it was. Our coop is about 15X15 and the sand averages about 6 inches deep. We took down part of the fence and the wire from one wall and used a tractor with a front end loader to move the sand into the coop, then spread it with shovels. It was well worth the effort.

 

[kathyinmo]

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It's cheaper by the ton. A bag is about 50 or 60 pounds I think. If you call a concrete company, they sell it by the ton, around $30. a ton. A pickup truck can carry 1 to 2 tons (not a 4 wheel drive).

 

[nature nut]

I use the sand and stall dry mix too. We've been experimenting with different ways to sift the sand and so far have found that a kitty litter scoop works very well especially in the droppings pans and hen house. Since we do have a couple of young pullets with tiny droppings, we find a sifter for lizard aquariums works like a charm. It can find the tiniest bits hidden down in the sand. In the run we pick up the big obvious piles with the scooper and then rake the top gently with a garden rake that my DH has covered with a hardware cloth. Right now the hardware cloth is 1" but I think that 1/4" would be ideal. Anyway when you get the debris from the run into a pile sift it with the kitty scoop. Our run is covered so I really couldn't say if the sand would be too hot in the summer. I really love the sand. My coop is clean, dry, and odor free as soon as I finish scooping each evening. Oh and the chicken feet are nice and clean