Class I Sand For Pen??

I don't go through all of that with my run. I throw leaves in there which gives them something to scratch through and they're fine. There's just the ground under the leaves.

 

I use dirt, sand and broken gravel. I like the broken gravel because they will not dig into as much and can eat it for grit and is eay to clean. The dirt is great for bathing and the sand is an in-between. I use dirt far from areas I want them bathing like food and water areas and next to the coop - for those areas I use the gravel and I transition from the gravel to the dirt with sand. I works well and is the one time my chickens behaive exactly as I had planned.

 

Use whatever is cheap and easy to get

It's all still sand, and they are just chickens who won't care at all

I also don't think they can dig as much in the class I

You said it stays "crumbly on top"

If they dig an inch, then the exposed part becomes the new "top" and crumbles so they can dig another inch

Don't try to over think all this

They WILL dig, no matter what type of sand you put

Just relax and enjoy the birds​

 

I've heard its good to use a 'sand' that is something like what you use in an aquarium as gravel. So I just take my kitty litter scoop to the garden supply centre and the gravel/sand with the biggest stone that will flow through my scoop is the one I get. Makes for quick poop removal. I've heard fine sand can be bad for the lungs so I don't what my hens kicking it up breathing it in all the time.

My sand is also on a concrete slab though so idk how well it will work when the chooks mix it with the dirt.