little sand, lotsa sand and what if it fails?

[Chzikken]

I went to sand. Easy to rake/clean and replace with a few 40 lb sacks after repeated cleaning.

 

[CarlaCo]

Kinda worried now, but at least the pad we prepped with sand is fairly small. It’s where we plan to park the coop for the winter, which around here is half the year. I guess if it gets stinky, I could put mulch over it. When I chose it, so many were raving about it but i didn’t notice where they all lived. Now I’m thinking sand is only good in warmer climates? Yikes.

 

[aart]

I guess if it gets stinky, I could put mulch over it. When I chose it, so many were raving about it but i didn’t notice where they all lived.

You'll want some woods chips on hand to mix into the stinky sand when the thaw comes along.

Now I’m thinking sand is only good in warmer climates?

Best in dry climates.

 

[Kelster65]

Kinda worried now, but at least the pad we prepped with sand is fairly small. It’s where we plan to park the coop for the winter, which around here is half the year. I guess if it gets stinky, I could put mulch over it. When I chose it, so many were raving about it but i didn’t notice where they all lived. Now I’m thinking sand is only good in warmer climates? Yikes.

Don't give up hope, it may work for you, or as you say, may work better mixed with something else. Sand isn't for everyone but depending on what type of sand you have, will dry out quickly outside and you can put lime, stall pdz or equivalent on it. It only smells a bit when wet. Personally I have it in the coop and run (mixed with gravel) and love it. It got wet in the coop (i have a concrete floor and we got flooded) but it dried out with raking. I haven't been interested in the deep litter method because I was worried it would become home to mice and other critters as well as bacteria. I like feeling I can clean up the majority of poop and sand doesn't make a home for mice or other critters. I bought a long handled scooper on Amazon and it does a great job.

 

[CarlaCo]

Don't give up hope, it may work for you, or as you say, may work better mixed with something else. Sand isn't for everyone but depending on what type of sand you have, will dry out quickly outside and you can put lime, stall pdz or equivalent on it. It only smells a bit when wet. Personally I have it in the coop and run (mixed with gravel) and love it. It got wet in the coop (i have a concrete floor and we got flooded) but it dried out with raking. I haven't been interested in the deep litter method because I was worried it would become home to mice and other critters as well as bacteria. I like feeling I can clean up the majority of poop and sand doesn't make a home for mice or other critters. I bought a long handled scooper on Amazon and it does a great job.

Yes, those are some of the same reasons I chose it! I was thinking of digging a sort of trench in front if it that could slant any water away to the driveway. Do you have a link to the scooper?

 

[raingarden]

No run bedding will work if you cannot keep it completely dry.

Even stomped-down bare earth is not so bad if you keep it dry. What looks like barren dirt is surprisingly active with microbes that break up manure.

You don't often see a decent roof and extra wide eaves on a chicken run. But, that's what it takes to avoid the the possibility of a mess. Rain happens.

 

[CarlaCo]

No run bedding will work if you cannot keep it completely dry.

Even stomped-down bare earth is not so bad if you keep it dry. What looks like barren dirt is surprisingly active with microbes that break up manure.

You don't often see a decent roof and extra wide eaves on a chicken run. But, that's what it takes to avoid the the possibility of a mess. Rain happens.

I hear that! It’s cats and dogs out there today. We haven’t built the roof over the min run yet. I was hoping this week, but DH hates work and he agreed to help build two new pop holes to connect the coop run with a metal run. It’s a menagerie of tarp out there right now just to give them a lil shelter from the rain.
I’ll keep in mind what you are saying about larger eaves! It makes perfect sense to me!

 

[Kelster65]

Yes, those are some of the same reasons I chose it! I was thinking of digging a sort of trench in front if it that could slant any water away to the driveway. Do you have a link to the scooper?

PUPTECK Fast Sifting Cat Litter Scoop - Long Handle Metal Scooper with Deep Shovel, Heavy Duty & Non-Stick Cat Litter Sifter https://a.co/d/cx0pD8T

This is what I got and I added some screen to the bottom so the finer sand can go through but poop stays in the scooper.

 

[Kelster65]

I hear that! It’s cats and dogs out there today. We haven’t built the roof over the min run yet. I was hoping this week, but DH hates work and he agreed to help build two new pop holes to connect the coop run with a metal run. It’s a menagerie of tarp out there right now just to give them a lil shelter from the rain.
I’ll keep in mind what you are saying about larger eaves! It makes perfect sense to me!

I had the same issue. My coop/run is on a slight slope and we've had some monsoons this year which flooded the coop. I dug a trench in front of the run to redirect the water so we'll see. I dug a French drain in front of the coop as well.

 

[CarlaCo]

I had the same issue. My coop/run is on a slight slope and we've had some monsoons this year which flooded the coop. I dug a trench in front of the run to redirect the water so we'll see. I dug a French drain in front of the coop as well.

Exactly what I was thinking! Good luck. Hopefully, I can keep some of it dryer that way.