Got sand? You should!

[ChickensAreSweet]

So does the sand freeze in the winter time because we are having temps well below freezing and I am using pine shavings but after all of these lovely comments on sand I am thinking about getting some.

My sand freezes in the coop if I have wet sand in there. My sand in the coop that stayed dry was OK. But the poo freezes and if you are dependent on scraping it off a board like me it was "wait for the thaw" and that was miserable. We have had a very warm winter here and our freeze was not much to write home about this year. So the light sprinkling of sand across the board that I can usually do was not good in freezing weather. It would have had to be very thick like a sandbox up there.

Also, I am not entirely sure that the sand not freezing in the coop was due to the fact that it may have been warm enough in there to keep the sand unfrozen. For those of you in cold climates I would do a very small test area first to see if you like sand and if it freezes.

If your sand is wet at all it will freeze.

 

[Theegoliath]

We just have 3" of sand in the run, with bare dirt under it. The coop has 1 1/2" of sand inside it. We made it through our first mild winter and those days were it got down to 14 degree. I dont recall all of the sand freezing, just the patches of moisture froze. Our girls made it through there first winter in there new coop amazingly wel. The coops sand never froze. I would never use dirt again in a pen/run, and wood chips is to much work/cost.

Our girls dont poop in the sand in the coop, thats what the poop board is for, and they poop in the backyard on the grass more then they poop in the pen.

 

[Chuck70]

So I read you use sand in your run does it get hard after it rains? What kind of sans do you use?

 

[Theegoliath]

So I read you use sand in your run does it get hard after it rains? What kind of sans do you use?

I use construction grade sand, not play sand. Play sand does not have enough different sizes of granuals (sp?) to work properly.

When it rains, it firms up like sand on the beach, but does not get solid, like concrete. It dries out much faster then dirt ever could, and sand is easier to clean up. Just rake it with a lawn rake. Kinda like a big litter box.

 

[jennyg]

So I read you use sand in your run does it get hard after it rains? What kind of sans do you use?

I get my sand from the beach, fill up 5 gallon buckets and sometimes it even comes with yummy treats, bugs

 

[Chuck70]

Thanks for all the advise

 

[3arrowfarm]

I switched to sand last spring and I absolutely LOVE it!!! Will never go back to shaving again! Yes, if you haven't tried sand you should. Sand makes cleaning a breeze with a kitty litter scoop just as you would a litter box. The sand helps dry the poo and it really cuts down on the smell big time! We had a huge shed built that we divided and made one end the new coop. I used heavy duty plastic that you buy at Lowe's or Home Depot and used two layers on the floor. I then left about 2-3 inches going up the sides of the walls and stapled it all the way around. We then went to the local landscape yard and got a truck load of builders sand as this is all they had. Shoveled it in and now we need to add sand to the run this year. The hens seem to like it as well. They actually spend a great deal of time in there and in summer I think the sand is cool to them. My sister infact just switched to sand. She was fed up with the shavings making a mess everywhere, it was harder to clean, and you are always having to buy more. Not with sand. Try it you'll love it!


*If it does get a little dusty in summer just use a spray bottle and mist it down and you are all set. /img/smilies/wink.png

How deep is the sand in your coop?

 

[Soapfreak]

Has anyone had any issues having your chickens getting bound up from eating the sand?

 

[jennyg]

Never had the issue, I get get mine from the beach and its a 1 mile drive and I get it from the back where trees grow so we have all kinds of bugs, crabs and sticks in it. They go crazy.

 

[Theshiredoc]

I hope you get this message. I'm new to the forum and just into year two of chickens
I see you switched to sand in the house. What about the coop area? We have a fenced coop area outside the house with the nesting boxes. I've been putting in hay bales for the girls to stand on to get out of the mud and that's now deteriorated to stinky hay. Am thinking of putting sand on the dirt and mixing with lime because my girls also have missing feathers on their back. (Added a rooster this year so that may be part of the feather issue.
appreciate your input