Im not finding sand under the roost as easy as I've heard!!

[Ole rooster]

Paver sand is the same as granite dust. It is made for compacting very tight and is super fine. The play sand so much more courser and the only time I've noticed it compacting is when it's wet. But once it dries it just fine. The reason it didn't register in the old brain is all of the paver work I've see done is with the granite dust. So much cheaper than sand.

 

[kimf]

Quote:
What kind of rake do you use? We just finished the coop (pics to come) and will get the sand tomorrow or Wednesday. It seems the poop would just sift though the tines of the rake.

 

[ECBW]

I am a convert from wood shaving. Sand does clump when wet. Sometimes the poop can be watery and cause large clumps. I started adding apple cider vineger to their water periodically and have noticed that poop are more solid.

I like to clean out the poop every day and sand is easier than shaving. I have not had the need to completely replace the sand, just add as needed.

 

[Cdillon105]

You're welcome to come over to the dropping board side any time...LOL.

Quick and easy - and no shoveling of sand...hehee.

Tell me more!!!! I’ve done the deep layer method- just started trying sand and I have more smell and flies than ever…0

 

[paintedChix]

This is an old thread. A lot of the folks are no longer on BYC. You'd be better to start your own thread.

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I am in the sandhills of NC & I can not stand sand. Parts of our runs are not covered so sand gets wet & stays wet until a drought period. STINKY!! Our coops & runs are open air, CP hoop coops. They sit on the ground.

For us, we didn't remove the sand, but once all grass is gone, we use DLM. Added leaves, pinestraw, hay, straw, woodchips, shredded paper/cardboard, veggie scraps & leftovers from fridge... they dig, turn it over & the DLM "digests" the chicken poop. No smell & very few to no flies.

After the 1st 6 months, we move the top layer over & can remove down to or including some sand to add to garden beds or spread over our pastures to change (fenced pasture that is cleared is 7 acres of sand, about 3 acres of infra-structure & 11 acres of pine, scrub oak & thorny vines) the sand to good soil. That top layer that was moved is spread into areas that compost was removed. Then bags of materials dumped. Chickens move it... and repeat.

DLM