Changing out sand in run?

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

Typing this as I stand in the run. We’ve had river sand in our run this past year which has worked great, really rainy area and I put down PDZ and generally keep it covered/dry and scooped every day. Wanting to do a change out since it’s been about a year. We got a few buckets but I’m not sure if I should try to get as much out as possible, or just the top layer is fine? I can’t remember how far down is dirt, but I just don’t want to unknowingly give a nice place for disease to flourish. Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

[azygous]

Is your run protected from flooding and moisture? If not, you would need to remove more of the soiled sand.

I have had sand in my runs and coops for many years. I've used other very dusty substrate such as decomposed sandstone that I shoveled from along the roadways, and I wanted to removed all of the dusty material and start over with fresh construction sand. So I removed all material down to the clay soil. Never again. Way too much work for practically no benefit.

Now, I scoop the poop and as the sand is depleted as it does stick to the poop, I don't replenish it. I keep removing poop and soiled sand each day until i get to within an inch or so of the clay soil. Then I bring in new sand.

My run is covered and runoff is diverted away from the run so it's bone dry inside. Since smell is the best indication of bacteria, this seems to be working well as a plan for my run.

 

[Tonyroo]

Wet feed in sand is gawd awful also, tried sand in the run, hated it, just too dusty and smelly.
If you don't have a smell issue you probably don't need to scrape it all out.