Nothing in the coop???

[Sassysouth]

I went and bought sand to put in the new coop. Hubby says no sand, he doesn't want to find sand in the yard. I have vinyl on the floor and a vinyl covered poop board and the vinyl is for easy cleaning. He says. HELP! I did buy some DE today. How about pine straw and a sprinkle of DE? I hate pine flakes.

 

[Leigti]

Find shavings work great. Why don't you like them?

 

[Sassysouth]

Hubby doesn't like seeing them in the yard and they seem to smell bad quickly. Maybe if I add DE that would help? Or PDZ?

 

[Pork Pie]

I use dried grass clippings / leaves in my coop - 6 inches or so deep and just rake it over every morning. No smell, low maintenance and makes good composting when its changed (every 3 months or so). Wish I'd used the system sooner.

CT

 

[Percheron chick]

DE is not good for them to breathe or get into their eyes.

 

[Sassysouth]

I use dried grass clippings / leaves in my coop - 6 inches or so deep and just rake it over every morning. No smell, low maintenance and makes good composting when its changed (every 3 months or so). Wish I'd used the system sooner.

CT

Thank you. And I am assuming you use no additives then.

 

[Sassysouth]

DE is not good for them to breathe or get into their eyes.

So I shouldn't use it in my coop (like I keep reading). Then, should I use a little in their homemade dust bath bin I am making?

 

[Pork Pie]

Thank you. And I am assuming you use no additives then.

Nothing at all

 

[SunHwaKwon]

How would he find sand in the yard? The chickens aren't going to carry it out with them.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Like SunHwaKwon said...
The sand should stay put in the coop and not end up in a heap in the yard.
My chickens drag pine out with them in their feathers to the run and when I go in and out invariably there is some that sneaks out. Not a big deal for me.

Landing off a roost on hard slick linoleum is NOT something I would think good for the feet or the bones. Besides it is much much easier to clean the poo up if there is something to absorb the moisture out of it BEFORE it dries to the linoleum.

I do not use DE and my coop does not smell bad nor do the chickens. I clean it regularly and it usually smells like fresh shaved pine in there.

Just my 2 cents on it.