Chickens seem not to like new bedding

[ajackalope]

I've been using sand. I read a study by the University of Tennessee (I think) it doesn't freeze so they can dust bathe all winter and it dries out the poo so no extra moisture in the house. I put down about 3-6 inches all around to give 5hem a nice cushion.

 

[paintedChix]

Here in NC, sand does freeze hard enough to damage legs when our chickens fly down from a tree or a 3' high roost. Could be because of the humidity, too. 3" of rain will turn some areas of sand into injurious hard pack and other areas just seeps through quickly and it's dusty old sand again.

All of our coops/pens/runs go down to NC sand at this property. We are slowly changing the sand to loamy, forest floor type that can be removed as necessary for the garden, trees, shrubs. Love my composting chickens! Even use shredded paper/cardboard as bedding - it's FREE.

The sand here (both natural and any that is hauled in for coops/runs) seems to get very stinky very fast - if used alone w/o any bedding. It doesn't matter how much you clean the poop out of it. I couldn't handle that - .

Still trying to wrap my head around using ground stone on the coop plywood floor before using bedding. Wonder - is it actually DE? If not, how does the stone dust work to combat mites? The same way plain sand would (better with DE, wood ash mixed in)? How is it not dusty - when they take a dust bath and fling it about? Not upset, just curious & scratching my head... and if wood shavings cost a lot in your area, why not use other natural materials?

 

[aart]

Still trying to wrap my head around using ground stone on the coop plywood floor before using bedding.

Fantastical Folly.

 

[thomas morton]

Wonder - is it actually DE? If not, how does the stone dust work to combat mites? The same way plain sand would (better with DE, wood ash mixed in)?

This is what I was thinking the OP was talking about, DE (diatomaceous earth) I use it like you do, sand, wood ash and DE for dusting.

 

[pacorona]

I saw someone say do not use builder's sand - I have one bag of sand and one builders' sand I just put down after having coop dug out - again. Why not builders' sand?? Seems to me it would be best because of the small grit and rocks?? I live in Louisiana and the rain is a constant. The sand has been the best flooring of all! I started out with pine straw since it is so prevalent here, but it got all ugly and disgusting and I was cleaning it out more than weekly. The rain washes the sand base clean and keeps my area fresher than anything else. This is our fourth year with the chickens and I am so glad I found out about the sand base!! The coop is located at the top of a sloped back yard, so it drains ever so quickly, sending the poop out and away!! (have a swamp behind the house, so it can drain forever!!) LOL