Help ! Replaced sand in coop but sand is wet and not drying..

[DanLeaAnn7]

I have been very happy using sand in our coop (12 by 12). We replaced the sand this weekend but the new sand is wet, we thought it would dry out but it is NOT drying. We have all the windows open and the kept the door open and put a fan in the doorway (we live north of Houston, the weather has been dry and warm the last 2 days) but the sand is still as wet as when we put it in the coop. The guy who delivered the sand, delivered it wet, we thought it would dry in the coop, any ideas on what to do ????? Tomorrow is supposed to be dry and warm again, but rain for Monday. Do i take the sand out and replace with bagged play sand ? Do I hope it will ever dry out in the coop, I do keep "turning" the sand, and trying to fluff it up but it is too damp, but it isn't working...cleaning up the coop has been real hard because the sand is so wet. Also afraid of what could grow in the wetness. Thanks in advance!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Do you have any sweetPDZ on hand to try to sprinkle in a little test spot? A bag runs about $16 where I live at the feed store. It is a horse stall refresher. They have a website with chicken coop recommendations.

I use it right on the plywood floor of my coop and treat the whole thing like a poop board. It has amazing drying properties. However....I don't know if it is up to the challenge of a layer of sand. Horses do go a lot though. I use the powder, not the granules.

Hopefully someone will come up with a better answer!!

 

[turbodog]

I think since you put it in wet, you're just going to have to wait untill it dries out on it's own. I'd do like your already doing, keep a fan blowing over it and rake it around once in awhile.

 

[2hot2chicken]

I had to add some wet sand to my coop to. I used a heat lamp for my small coop and just mixed the sand up every couple hours or so for a couple days. It all got dried pretty fast.

 

[Nacho Chicken Mine]

If you going to use any bedding in the coop, I would recommend the pelleted type. They absorb quite a bit of water and the pellets are just compressed sawdust. I am amazed at how
much water they can actually hold.

Nacho Chicken Mine

 

[DanLeaAnn7]

Thanks for the ideas. The wet sand has been in the coop now going on it's fourth day, and it is still so wet, think i need to locate some dry sand, in the meantime will put heat lamps on it - it is 12 feet by 12 feet and has about 1 1/2 yds of sand in it now (wet sand) I have been raking it about every hour during the day and have every window open and the front door open, had a fan running too on Saturday, yesterday was windy so didn't need it then, but just can't believe how much it hasn't dried out ! live and learn i suppose ! Now to try and find some dry sand. Thanks for the help !