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KimberlyAndGlen

KimberlyAndGlen

In the Brooder
Joined
Sep 20, 2016
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Location
Severna Park, Maryland
I'm new to this group as well as having backyard chickens. I apologize up front for silly questions I may ask. Idlike to make my chickens as comfortable as possible. However I don't have a large space for them. Their Hen House Chicken Coop is 78"Lx30"Wx41"H. Their yard is 10'x10'. I had 4 unfortunately we lost one. I'm trying to find the best way to set up their yard. I'm hearing sand is good. How deep should it be? What kind of sand? Any and all help will be very much appreciated. As well as any tips and or suggestions for me to help my girls have a happy home.
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Hello and :welcome!

Have you tried making toys for them? I've seen lots of great ways to keep your hens entertained ranging from hanging a cabbage in their coop, to building a chicken perching tree.
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I would also suggest putting a tarp over your chicken run, to create lots of shade in summer and some protection against the elements in winter.
 
Greetings from Kansas, K & G, and :welcome. Great to have you with us! I think sand is sand when it comes to floor. In terms of entertainment, roosts are great and believe it or not, some folks put in chicken swings! Not my cup of tea but some like them. I think lots of things to scratch and peck at provide a lot of entertainment. Good luck to you! :)
 
Welcome! I just put in a chick swing ad also a suet feeder hanging with daily treats. My ladies seem to love the feeder. Keep the questions coming. Lots of experienced Folks here. Enjoy!
 
Welcome to BYC!
First of all, there are no "silly questions" - none of us was born knowing what we now know about keeping chickens (or anything else)......the only way to learn is to ask!
I am so sorry you lost a bird, that is the unfortunate part of the hobby. I love that you are looking for ways to enrich the lives of those that you still have. If you end up finding that this is the hobby for you, some folks fizzle out after a year or two, one thing you might want to do to provide a good setup for your birds is consider a little construction project to provide a larger coop area for them. The little setup that I can see in your photo is one of the typical pre-fab units that, unfortunately, is not designed well for poultry keeping (despite being marketed for exactly that). There are tons of great ideas here on BYC for easy, affordable (even free-cycle) projects that can give you a wonderful home for your birds.
 
Welcome to Backyard chickens!! There are NO silly questions! Questions are questions, and you are just trying to provide for your flock! Here is a website I hear has great toys for chickens, including a chicken swing!

http://www.fowlplayproducts.com/

While some people use sand on coop floors because it is easy to scoop out the manure, I do not recommend sand for coop or run. Not only is it not a good insulator in the cold months, it can harbor E. Coli. Recent studies have shown that sand can contain and maintain a far greater E.Coli infestation than even water can. Chickens may also be tempted to eat the sand, which would be detrimental for two reasons: They might be eating sand-covered poop inadvertently; and overeating sand can lead to impacted crops, as the sodden sand won't pass through their digestive system. I highly recommend LARGE flake pine shavings, not sawdust. I can buy it for $5.00 a bag at pretty much any feed store and that will be enough for two weeks in my 8'x8' coop with 35 chickens in it. You can also use STRAW, not hay, but Pine shaving are easier to get and I think they are cheaper.
 

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