bedding for big coop

[Chicken Lover 1]

Hey
I have a huge coop for only 14 chickens. It is the size of my kitchen.
Should I use sand as bedding?​

 

[JackE]

How big is your kitchen? I've seen some really small kitchens, and I've seen some big ones. Some people really like sand. I have some in the front of my coop, but go with shavings with the rest of it. It is, to me, a whole lot easier with shavings. Change it out a couple times a year, and in between, let the chickens themselves turn it over, and just throw some more in there as the stuff breaks down. With sand you got to get in there with a cat crap scooper and sift out the waste. And if you have more than a few birds, you can be in there sifting a lot.
Jack

 

[StephieSky]

I would. But I sure wouldn't use "play sand" again. I'm excavating the play sand already.
Replacing it with a coarser river sand as soon as mine gets dumped off by Rexius.
The problem I've encountered with play sand is that it packs too tight and stays too damp for my liking. Its also chilly in the early a.m.. I live in the willamette valley oregon. I see serious problems coming my way if I don't switch. In the morning when I go out to let my hens out ...their little feet are cold. They stand right by the door to the kennel and wait like starving vultures for their breakfast lol

I disliked straw intensely. I also didn't like the shavings I initially started with. I do like the sand. Very much. Its easy to keep scrupulously clean and I'm really not a fan of leaving any poo inside of a confined space if its at all possible to remove it. Not that I've tried the deep litter thing, so I can't really say. I just wouldn't care to go that direction.

I see you live in Cali. Probably someplace warm and dry too! Lucky you
Play sand might work way better in a your environment.