Does anyone use sharp sand as recommended in Charles Week's book?

[DawnSuiter]

I finished reading this very good book last night. This man has so much to share, and in such a beatiful way. I feel as though the book could've been published last year not 1922 because the life lessons still apply, the trials of our country and all people & animals, are still the same.

He is very insistant on a couple of things in particular, one being SAND in the bottom of their cages. Not wood chips, not straw, just sand.
He procedes to tell us of the advantages, why this was chosen, and describes it's sanitary nature and the fact that its dual purpose was easy cleaning & it also serves as grit for the hens.

Does anyone else use sand? How is that working for you? How do you "lift" the excrement off the top? What type of flooring, if any, do you have your sand ON?

After reading this book, I have adjusted some of my plan, and sand, well I want to hear your opinions, but sounds like something he was very certain about.

 

[love-my-wolves]

Well, not quite the same thing, but my run is sand. Natural Florida sand. We don't have dirt here. It reminds me of scoopable cat litter. Just scoop and go, or for chickens, just stir it up. It works ok, but I still like my wood chips in the coop itself. I think it is softer and a nicer place to sleep/nest.

 

[DawnSuiter]

Hi Love-My-Wolves!
We used to be residents of DeLand AND Orange City. We're skydivers and such (hence the name bodyflight)

Florida turf is it's own thing for sure. I'm sure your chickens have an ABUNDANCE of bugs & small critters to eat! Thanks for chiming in... still hoping to find someone with sand inside the coop....

anyone... anyone...

bueller....bueller...bueller

 

[Davaroo]

Im the one who brought the Weeks book to light recently. Glad you liked it.

We tend to think that we are clever at figuring out "new" things, when in truth much has been known before. This is espeically so with chicken keeping. They had it down long before technology came along. The truth is chickens are far easier than most make them, if you only think simple.

I know of a few who use sand. Look for ML and dhunicorn - they do.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

I use sand!

it

at first I would sift the poop out
got hard to do in winter so, I just kept turning & PDZ ((from agway get rid of the amonia smell))

by the time spring came it was like rich dirt so, I added it to garden

it is cheep & easy
I have a pick-up
I go to a cement mixing place get a truck load for $8

Joanne

 

[d.k]

* Sorry but, Rchicks, what's 'PDZ' ??? That's one I haven't seen before.

 

[DawnSuiter]

Hi RChicks, what is "pdz"? Could you please explain what you mean by that? (I'm guessing its' some kinda chicken lingo or forum lingo I have yet to learn)

Also. about the sand... do you feel as though it's chilly for them in the winter?

I'm considering a combined approach right now because I was thinking the woodchips would help with winter chills, unless sand does well.

What surface do you have the sand on?

Thanks for sharing!

 

[new egg man]

My little ladys 4 weeks old, have sand in there roost box, makes for easy cleaning, I will put straw in the nest box when it is time time and the coop sits in the garden so they are in sand or dirt most of the day unless i let them out of the run, built a playhouse coop 4x8

 

[DawnSuiter]

A little research on this handy site I found (BYC) turned up PDZ as a horse stall refresher!

here's a thread where it is mentioned.. specifically post #3
PDZ

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

We use sand in the pen and under their roost it works great and is eay to clean and repace. We add it to our gardens. Our chickens don't poop much in the hen house I quess they have good manners and go outside.