Chick Grit and Dust Bath

[CreveChris]

If you’re going to use sand, please use natural, coarse, washed, river sand. Don’t use play sand or construction sand. Play sand is way too fine and construction sand is crushed rock - and very dusty. So if you still have the chicks in the house, it will be a mess you’ll be cleaning up for a long, long time! The sand should look like this:

View attachment 1807544

The nice thing about sand is, you won’t need to provide grit. I use it in my coop and run!

Is this riverbed sand beach sand for aquatic and lizard terrarium applications?

Thanks!
Chris

 

[Farmgirl1878]

@CreveChris not sure. If it’s a natural product with variable size grains, I would imagine it’s the same stuff. It’s not crushed granite and it’s not really fine like sandbox sand.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

@CreveChris check this out: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-sand-in-your-chicken-coop.47795/

 

[CreveChris]

@CreveChris check this out: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-sand-in-your-chicken-coop.47795/

Thank you! I've read everything from chicken blogs to government studies all to come up with a safe dust bath and possible material to toss under the roost. It's for my chicken tractor with a maximum of 7 chickens (roos yet to be determined, ha).

Bought Lixit dust bath but not sure I want to use it... The chicks are still in the brooder, so there's time. The riverbed sand I'm finding most is super small gravel for aquariums.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

@CreveChris yeah, you have to buy it from your local quarry. Since I use sand in the coop, run, nest boxes, and as the path from my basement door to the coop, I buy it by the dump truck load. You can usually buy it by the pickup truck load too.

The girls LOVE to dustbathe in it! They’re so funny. They dustbathe in the coop, they dustbathe in the run, they even dustbathe on the poop decks! Today was our first sunny day in a while and you should have seen them - all sprawled out like we were on “vacay” in Miami! This is Puff, she was slacking off while the other seven girls were working.

 

[CreveChris]

@CreveChris yeah, you have to buy it from your local quarry. Since I use sand in the coop, run, nest boxes, and as the path from my basement door to the coop, I buy it by the dump truck load. You can usually buy it by the pickup truck load too.

The girls LOVE to dustbathe in it! They’re so funny. They dustbathe in the coop, they dustbathe in the run, they even dustbathe on the poop decks! Today was our first sunny day in a while and you should have seen them - all sprawled out like we were on “vacay” in Miami! This is Puff, she was slacking off while the other seven girls were working.

How awesome is Puff! I appreciate you sharing your beautiful coop because it's not only aesthetically pleasing but gives me an idea of what the sand looks like. Thanks so much

 

[Farmgirl1878]

It really is a great layout and an easy clean!

 

[CreveChris]

Wow, inspiring! I love how you've staggered everything so it is easy to reach for both the chickens and you.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

It’s funny, all the girls like to sleep at night on the highest roosts, but prefer to nap on the lower ones...

I’m thinking I may need to add a ramp up to the lower poop deck as my bigger girls age. My light Brahma has a bad hip and is already starting to slow down a bit. (She’s just two.)

 

[CreveChris]

Aw, cute. Your girls are lucky to have you! When I build a permanent coop for my breeding program, I'm definitely layering (pun intended) my roosts! The chicken tractor has enough for my small flock, but how you've staggered them makes so much sense.