anyone use sand in their coops?

[keekerschickens]

I've read in a couple places of people using mason quality sand as an alternative to shavings in their coops. Anyone have experience with this??

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

subscribing...i was wondering this too

 

[Zanna]

I have two main large hoop coops, 6 large breeder pens and several subsidiary little coops for temporary housing/broody coops etc. Everything was built on bare ground with Sand spread over the whole area to control mud and for ease of cleaning. The sand packs with time and gets quite firm. In the breeder pens the birds keep it loosened up pretty well. In my large main coop I added shavings on top this winter so I could do more of the deep litter system and to keep it warmer as I incorporate young birds from my breeding all the time that sleep on the ground for a while. I will most likely scrape the shavings off for the summer, maybe add more sand and add shavings again next fall. My main flock free-ranges all daylight hours so basically only go back to the coops to roost at night.

Love the ease of cleaning the sand, kitty litter scoop or dog poop shovel works great. It does get dusty in the summer and is a cold floor in the winter. Doubles for grit for the younger/smaller birds and keeps toenails filed. Works well for me in my situation.

 

[keekerschickens]

I have two main large hoop coops, 6 large breeder pens and several subsidiary little coops for temporary housing/broody coops etc.  Everything was built on bare ground with Sand spread over the whole area to control mud and for ease of cleaning.  The sand packs with time and gets quite firm.  In the breeder pens the birds keep it loosened up pretty well.  In my large main coop I added shavings on top this winter so I could do more of the deep litter system and to keep it warmer as I incorporate young birds from my breeding all the time that sleep on the ground for a while.  I will most likely scrape the shavings off for the summer, maybe add more sand  and add shavings again next fall.  My main flock free-ranges all daylight hours so basically only go back to the coops to roost at night.

Love the ease of cleaning the sand, kitty litter scoop or dog poop shovel works great.  It does get dusty in the summer and is a cold floor in the winter.  Doubles for grit for the younger/smaller birds and keeps toenails filed.  Works well for me in my situation.

Thanks! I did read somewhere that in the more wet months (spring and fall) it tends to get stinky? Have you found this to be true? I'm wondering if I should just do sand in the summer or maybe try a sand/shavings combo for the rest of the year?

 

[Zanna]

Thanks! I did read somewhere that in the more wet months (spring and fall) it tends to get stinky? Have you found this to be true? I'm wondering if I should just do sand in the summer or maybe try a sand/shavings combo for the rest of the year?

My hoopcoops get plastic over the ends in the winter and do get a little smelly, not bad, but the pine shavings definitely smell much nicer! I layer the floor with peletized lime (Calpril) every so often to help absorb the ammonia and that really helps in the winter as well. The breeder pens are pretty open and I do not notice a smell in them at all. They are chain link dog kennels with a 3 sided pole building built over/around them. I also have poopboards under the roost in those which I fill with PDZ and clean daily and in the winter, they are spending more time at roost anyways. I think the smell will have to do with how often you scoop the poop out and how good your ventillation (sp?) is.