Issues with sand in run

[HenKeepers]

We free range 300 chickens. Inside their coop is 90% woodshavings and 10% sand. Outside their coop is a pile of yellow sand. If your sand is hard, throw some scratch on top. They will break it up and spread for you. If it is too hard, there is too much poop in it. Add a new layer, or shovel it out.

 

[3KillerBs]

If it is too hard, there is too much poop in it.

And this is the core of why I don't like sand.

When the Deep Bedding or Deep Litter gets too much poop in it I can compost it and use it in my garden. Poop-loaded sand doesn't compost.

 

[HenKeepers]

And this is the core of why I don't like sand.

When the Deep Bedding or Deep Litter gets too much poop in it I can compost it and use it in my garden.

Add some chicken wire. Wet the floor down. Put some red wiggler worms in the bedding. Add a layer of sand and a bag of wood shavings. The red wigglers will eat the poop and other biologicals. Maintain a decent moisture level under the top coat of sand and you will have great potting soil every 3 months. Watch the moisture level for coccidiosis. Too wet is bad. Too dry will kill the worms.

 

[3KillerBs]

Add some chicken wire. Wet the floor down. Put some red wiggler worms in the bedding. Add a layer of sand and a bag of wood shavings. The red wigglers will eat the poop and other biologicals. Maintain a decent moisture level under the top coat of sand and you will have great potting soil every 3 months. Watch the moisture level for coccidiosis. Too wet is bad. Too dry will kill the worms.

The last thing I need to add to my already too-sandy soil is more sand.

Additionally, I wouldn't want to put chicken wire between my Ladies and their ability to move earth -- softening the concrete-like soil in their search for bugs and moles.

 

[Gypsi]

I have clay soil and my run does get rained on. So once a year, give or take a couple of months, I pull a couple of buckets of dirty hard sand out and use it to fill low spots, and I bring in about 1/8 yard of fairly coarse sand and add 2 or 3 inches. Yes the old stuff has to be damp to shovel it, yes there is some dust. But I have some older hens and their shells get harder after I change the sand. I kid you not.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

These are from tree trimmers chipping up branches.
I have space for a big pile on my land and got them to dump a couple loads.

Hey @aart do you ever have a problem with the chips molding? We are in almost a tropical environment because we’re at the bottom of a holler. We’ve got piles of wood chips around the property (we are a 150+ acre hardwood tree farm) but they break down quickly and do get moldy.

 

[3KillerBs]

Hey @aart do you ever have a problem with the chips molding? We are in almost a tropical environment because we’re at the bottom of a holler. We’ve got piles of wood chips around the property (we are a 150+ acre hardwood tree farm) but they break down quickly and do get moldy.

Chips should be aged before using and put down in thin layers to prevent mold.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

The key to sand is using the right kind. Coarse is the best, the finer stuff gets compacted. But, I've learned to shovel the areas (where I used the wrong sand) if it gets compacted that will loosen it up.

 

[HenKeepers]

Chips should be aged before using and put down in thin layers to prevent mold.

We get 10-20 truckloads of wood chips delivered each year. Turning them over to promote decomposition through composting and throwing manure into the piles should keep them at 140-160 degrees to promote breakdown and prevent mold.

If you get a load delivered and just want to dry it out, throw liberal amounts of scratch into the pile. The chickens will spread it out for you in layers that should dry out without mold.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

The key to sand is using the right kind. Coarse is the best, the finer stuff gets compacted. But, I've learned to shovel the areas (where I used the wrong sand) if it gets compacted that will loosen it up.

That and a thick-tined rake will keep it from getting compacted. I’ve got three-week old chicks in with the rest of the Flockers, so can’t use the Grandpa’s Feeders right now. I’ve been putting starter chow out in rubber bowls for everyone and Momma and the other hens are doing an awesome job of scratching big holes around the bowls. I just keep moving them around to where I want them to scratch and voila, no more hard patches!