Northern Georgia run ground cover

[aart]

Also anyone have bare vinyl flooring in coop?...reading it's toxic.

Once it fully gasses off(a week or two) it should be fine.
I've had it on my coop floor for 10 years, I do cover with some pine shavings tho to help dry up the poops..

 

[Captain13]

I’m in central Georgia and use sand in my run. It dries fast and I’ve had no odor issues. I do a quick rake and scoop daily. The girls keep the sand turned over. I help them by bringing in leaves and stuff for them to scratch through. That gets disposed of with my rake and scoop. I would like to use chips and shavings but the humidity here is so high that I’m concerned about mold and mildew so I stay with sand. I have enough shade that the sand doesn’t get hot.

 

[mossyoakpro]

I’m in central Georgia and use sand in my run. It dries fast and I’ve had no odor issues. I do a quick rake and scoop daily. The girls keep the sand turned over. I help them by bringing in leaves and stuff for them to scratch through. That gets disposed of with my rake and scoop. I would like to use chips and shavings but the humidity here is so high that I’m concerned about mold and mildew so I stay with sand. I have enough shade that the sand doesn’t get hot.

You're not far from me...I'm in Macon County

 

[Captain13]

Next door.

I have sand in my coop, too. Five minutes in the morning and I’m done in there. I got my inspiration from a friend in Perry, Ga who has about 30 chickens. Her run is a huge sand run With great drainage. When I built mine, I graded a slope, used cap blocks to set the run base on, filled the run with sand and the rest is history. Like you today, we are getting a projected 5 inches of rain and the run is fine.

 

[mossyoakpro]

Next door.

I have sand in my coop, too. Five minutes in the morning and I’m done in there. I got my inspiration from a friend in Perry, Ga who has about 30 chickens. Her run is a huge sand run With great drainage. When I built mine, I graded a slope, used cap blocks to set the run base on, filled the run with sand and the rest is history. Like you today, we are getting a projected 5 inches of rain and the run is fine.

Just the top layer of mine is wet from blow in...I even had to change the feed out during the intermission in the monsoon today. I was fortunate that my neighbors builder ordered way too much sand for his build and I ended up getting about 4 tons for free. Just took my tractor and dump trailer over and loaded it up. I take extra in as needed in a bucket and dump it and let the chickens scatter it out....

 

[tlcmurphy]

Atlanta here. We use sand in our run and under our coop, both areas are covered, but we have no issue with smells etc. Also makes a great dust bath! As someone mentioned, if it gets too hot just hose it down a bit.

 

[3KillerBs]

Most people who are happy with sand over the long term -- that is, for multiple years, summer and winter -- live in dry climates. Also, they have the sort of personality that just LOVES scooping poop, at least several times a week and sometimes a couple times a day.

The problem with sand is that no matter how diligent you are about scooping, some of the poop turns to dust, mixes into the sand, and sits there -- unable to be neutralized into compost.

Then, when the run gets wet, it REEKS.

IMO, in northern Georgia, the best option for the run is to take advantage of one of our regional resources here in the US Southeast -- Pine Straw! It's free for the raking, always dries out quickly on top no matter how heavy the rain, isn't subject to mold, doesn't pack/matt excessively, and lasts longer than grain straw (though not as long as coarse wood chips).

 

[mossyoakpro]

Most people who are happy with sand over the long term -- that is, for multiple years, summer and winter -- live in dry climates. Also, they have the sort of personality that just LOVES scooping poop, at least several times a week and sometimes a couple times a day.

The problem with sand is that no matter how diligent you are about scooping, some of the poop turns to dust, mixes into the sand, and sits there -- unable to be neutralized into compost.

Then, when the run gets wet, it REEKS.

IMO, in northern Georgia, the best option for the run is to take advantage of one of our regional resources here in the US Southeast -- Pine Straw! It's free for the raking, always dries out quickly on top no matter how heavy the rain, isn't subject to mold, doesn't pack/matt excessively, and lasts longer than grain straw (though not as long as coarse wood chips).

I'm hoping my weekly lime addition is going to help with the smell....

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm hoping my weekly lime addition is going to help with the smell....

To me this is all WAY TOO MUCH WORK compared to plenty of organic material as bedding and a cleanout time measured in months or even years.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Most people who are happy with sand over the long term -- that is, for multiple years, summer and winter -- live in dry climates. Also, they have the sort of personality that just LOVES scooping poop, at least several times a week and sometimes a couple times a day.

The problem with sand is that no matter how diligent you are about scooping, some of the poop turns to dust, mixes into the sand, and sits there -- unable to be neutralized into compost.

Then, when the run gets wet, it REEKS.

IMO, in northern Georgia, the best option for the run is to take advantage of one of our regional resources here in the US Southeast -- Pine Straw! It's free for the raking, always dries out quickly on top no matter how heavy the rain, isn't subject to mold, doesn't pack/matt excessively, and lasts longer than grain straw (though not as long as coarse wood chips).

I should mention that I have very few birds (3 now, previously 4) so that would make a difference. I rake out the poop once a week. We are absolutely not a dry climate though!