How much sand for 8x4 coop?

[Mom2LotsOBoys]

Title says it; flock will move out to the big girl house soon!

I’ve not used sand before so what would y’all recommend for how much?

 

[DobieLover]

Title says it; flock will move out to the big girl house soon!

I’ve not used sand before so what would y’all recommend for how much?

Zero pounds??
I hate sand.
I use poop boards and have granular Sweet PDZ on the boards that I scoop out each morning. I have pine shavings on the coop floor. I'll be cleaning that out for the first time in a year next week. I think I'll go up to every 6 months to keep the dust down more.

 

[Mom2LotsOBoys]

Zero pounds??
I hate sand.
I use poop boards and have granular Sweet PDZ on the boards that I scoop out each morning. I have pine shavings on the coop floor. I'll be cleaning that out for the first time in a year next week. I think I'll go up to every 6 months to keep the dust down more.

What do you hate about it? I’m always open to changing my mind, but I’m not sure deep litter is the best for our setup.

 

[SueT]

I am, for the first time, trying sand in my extra small coop, which is 4X4.5. One 50 lb bag of play sand did it, it’s over 1/2” thick. I plan to have a broody raise chicks in there soon.
Last time a broody raised chicks, I had the entire floor of this small coop covered with PDZ. ( which I do have on the poop boards of the bigger coop, and there are hardwood shavings on that floor. )
I’ll report back on the results in a month or two….

 

[aart]

What do you hate about it?

Even if you sift all the poops out everyday, and it's hard to get it all, it will end up stinking.

I’m always open to changing my mind, but I’m not sure deep litter is the best for our setup.

Probably not, might depend on if your coop has a wooden floor or is on dirt.
Deep litter, which is supposed to decompose into good compost, only really works well if on dirt and still needs some moisture to work well.

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
- Large flake pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 9 years.

 

[Tahai]

I just filled my 4x8 coop. It took 12 5-gallon buckets to fill to about a 4 inch depth. I got crushed limestone sand from my local gravel guy. Cost me $2.50 a bucket.

 

[Vampire Gardener]

I just filled my 4x8 coop. It took 12 5-gallon buckets to fill to about a 4 inch depth. I got crushed limestone sand from my local gravel guy. Cost me $2.50 a bucket.

Tahai - How do you clean and how often? Do you have to be that thick? I've got a mobile coop so would prefer less and clean more often. I'm looking for alternatives to pine shavings as I am allergic. Newbie here so would love advice. Thanks

 

[Tahai]

I would not use sand in a mobile coop. It would be way too heavy to move. Aspen shavings, hemp, or straw are all good alternatives to pine.

 

[MiMito3]

Title says it; flock will move out to the big girl house soon!

I’ve not used sand before so what would y’all recommend for how much?

I use sand and have about 6” in my coop and run. I think it’s great but I also live in a very dry climate. Use a long handled kitty litter scoop to clean. There is no smell but have only used it 3 months so far. I also used coarse construction sand not play sand. Play sand is much more dusty. The chickens seem to like it too. They prefer laying in it to roosting durning the day.

 

[SueT]

Update on my post #4 about sand as litter for baby chicks….
Broody finally has 6 chicks to raise, now 2 weeks old, and I think the sand is ideal for baby chicks. They always try to eat whatever litter you give them, and I think the sand is safe for that. I never liked seeing them try to eat shavings or PDZ, or food stuck to those substances. I think the PDZ must be awfully dusty for chicks, especially when they are sleeping face down under mama hen. I have not found it hard to sift the poop out of the sand. I am using an old flour sifter for their tiny poops. (They’re bantams). The 6 chicks/hen have 16 sq ft, and the sand has remained dry and has no odor. At this point, they spend most of their time in the run, so poop in the coop is minimal. After they begin roosting, I may eventually remove the sand and put down shavings or PDZ. We’ll see if that is necessary. This coop will be these chicks’ adult home, mama will probably choose to go back to main flock.