CAN I USE SAND FROM OUTSIDE FOR THE FLOOR FOR MY 3 WEEK OLD CHICKS?

[Fawn and Fam]

I have my 1st 2 chicks in a clear 110 quart plastic tote. I have paper towel on the bottom so they don't slip around and then pine shavings. They eat the small pieces of pine shavings and them dig up the bedding and shred the paper towel and eat it. Every day they have a little dark brown liquid stinky poo and maybe it is from eating the shavings and towel. They always eat/drink well and have fresh food and water w/ vits & electrolytes daily. Can I use sand from outside instead? I live in Michigan and have regular medium brown colored sand. A lady told me to try that but she gets her sand from a store because she doesn't have access to good sand. I would hate to have to buy it when we have plenty on our land. Would that be safe for them or is it dangerous in some way? Could they get coccidia from it?

 

[ni22]

I used sand for my chicks. Much better than pine in my opinion because I didn't have to constantly clean out the water. I got my sand off a beach, I just ran it through a strainer to get the garbage out. Loved the sand and will use it again when we have more chicks. My chicks were on medicated feed and they were fine.

 

[Fawn and Fam]

So do you think it would be safe to use the sand in my backyard (no chemicals)?

 

[MontanaDolphin]

It's fine. I did. BUT...I spread the sand I got from my property on cookie sheets and put it in my oven on 200 degrees for an hour. Then I let it cool down. Doing this ensures you've killed any bad bacteria or germs in the sand.

 

[Fawn and Fam]

THANK YOU! That also answers my concern that there would be too much moisture in the sand. Do you recommend I rinse it, and why? Thanks

 

[LeJeune1]

Im considering using sand before summer.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

THANK YOU! That also answers my concern that there would be too much moisture in the sand. Do you recommend I rinse it, and why? Thanks

I rinsed mine just because it was mixed with some dry clay dust...and also because I wanted to get anything other than sand outta the mix, like roots and grass and such. I don't know if it makes a difference or not in sterility of the sand, but I just felt better rinsing it!

 

[ni22]

I think back yard sand is fine. I only got mine from the beach because I don't have any in the backyard. If it were me I wouldn't bother rinsing or doing anything to the sand other than straining out the stuff that doesn't belong, but then again I do use medicated feed. If you would feel better about cleaning the sand then by all means do so but if it were me I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[ni22]

oh, also I toss a couple handfuls of PDZ in it when it starts to get a little stinky. And I cleaned it everyday with a strainer since the tiny poops would fall through a kitty little scoop.

 

[Fawn and Fam]

Thanks for the ideas!