I love sand but......

[ambersparks]

Okay, the sand is great and I thank everyone who answered my questions. To preface my questions here is the scoop..... I have a layer of gravel on my side yard that is on top of the dirt it's been there for awhile so there is some that has sunk into the dirt and some loose on top. We put the coop/run on top of that and then 3" deep of sand in the coop/run. After a week and a half I look in there and see sand, some gravel that the sweet chickens have stirred up and a few poops. Okay I KNOW there is A LOT more poop in there somewhere. How do I find it and clean it out??? It smells totally fine but is there a layer of poop down under there that is just growing and growing?? I love that the poop falls, get's covered in sand and sinks down but I'm a little afraid of what could be growing underneath. How do you clean the poop out of your sand? TIA

Amber
mom to four children, one dog, one fish and four chickens

 

[NancyDz]

do you have a coop separate from the run? There isnt usually that much poop in my run, more of it is inside the coop from when they sleep. i guess you could use a scoop like you use in kitty litter but i dont think your poop is going through your sand, it should just sit on top.

 

[patandchickens]

It will compost (in the broad sense of 'microorganisms and soil chemistry will break it down') and more or less disappear. If you're livin' right and the circumstances are not stacked the wrong way, anyhow.

So, absent any particular ominous signs, I wouldn't worry about it. If you *are* worried, scrape the gravel etc away from a small area and see if there's a nasty layer under there or not.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[ambersparks]

We live in a very mild climate so the coop and run are connected. It's 5' x 6' x 6' 6" tall with a roof on top and has solid panels on the back end and 1/3 of two sides for cover, their roost and nest boxes are in that area but it isn't enclosed and the rest of the sides and front are covered with wire/hardware cloth w/ a door on the front. So they are roosting over the sand as well as walking on it during the day when they aren't out in the yard playing.

 

[ambersparks]

Thanks Pat! I was hoping that was the answer, that it would compost. That's wonderful. I'm sure in the winter when things are wetter it might need a little more attention but now that the weather is warm and dry it's great. Almost seems to easy!!!

I will check and make sure there isn't some hidden layer of yuck under there too though!! Thank you!!

 

[patandchickens]

If they're roosting over the sand too, you will undoubtedly have to rake/shovel the worst poo out sometimes; and it'd be a good idea to do that with the poo in the run, too, when the weather is suitably dry.

But a *reasonalbe* amount of it will simply disappear, yes.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[ambersparks]

Great! Thank you!!

 

[CityChook]

I heart sand...

 

[MandyH]

The sand pulls all the moisture out of the poop, thus disintigrating it. It dries up and just kind of dissappears. pretty great huh?

 

[Gazinga]

i covered the run floor with sand this past winter to aid in the draining of water from the run, since then i have seen all the many advantages of a sand floor............i love it!