dirt, Sand or pine shaving which is best to use please post

[ILOVEFRIZZLES]

This is the coop I am work on and I want to know what would be best to put in it pro and con of all three

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=233592

 

[SimplyForties]

I'm going for all three in my coop. Dirt floor with several inches of sand on top and then deep litter on top of that. Sand helps with drainage and the deep litter gives warmth in winter and some good compost come spring!

 

[ILOVEFRIZZLES]

please let me know do not know if I need to buy wood shaving or sand or just leave it. Please help

 

[fordmommy]

I use all three too. I have dirt floors with chicken wire around the edges in the ground. Road gravel on top. (That has sand in it too.) I got the gravel and playsand from a local gravel company, "dirt cheap".

About 3"-4" of sand on top. Then I use the pine shavings on the table/counter raised area with nesting boxes on it and in the nesting boxes. It is part of our old countertop. 6'x3' raised up 3' off the floor. When winter comes I will add the shavings to the floor more if I need to. I also use Red Lake DE. Absolutely no smell in my coop or run.

 

[2txmedics]

I have sand in my run...and in my coop I USE TO HAVE hay...was messy, matted, had poop that clumped up...and got hard and brittle...also found out that hay has tiny tunnels like a straw..and mite/lice can habor in there...and it becomes hot... I live in Texas....and use to get ALOT OF FLIES AND STINK.

so now I have shavings DEEP...I go in and move it around with the rake every few days...get a kitty litter shovels and get the poop out once a week...its soft, cleaner and I havent had to change that in 2 1/2mos, with the hay I had to change and switch out every few days...and no flies with the shavings

and they love to when I throw some feed in there, not much...just about a cup full....and they go in and move the shavings around and dig...

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

My coop has a wood floor and I keep about a 6" layer of pine shavings in there at all times. About twice a year I dig out all the shavings and add them to my manure pile, then replace them with fresh shavings. I never find any wet spots when I do this, so I am thinking 6" is deep enough to protect the wood of the floor from damage. I've been using this system for over 4 years now and never have an odor or fly problem.

Out in the run I use sand because in this area the soil is all clay, so the sand helps break up the clay and promotes better drainage. After a heavy rain I do have a few puddles, but they do drain away quickly. When I first built the run, I used about 2 yards of construction grade sand from Home Depot and now I just top it off with an occasional bag of sand in any consistently wet spots. That seems to dry them right up.


HTH


Rusty