Pros and Cons for using sand

[WNCcluck]

Pros:

1. 
   Easy cleaning - especially when mixed with PDZ
   Long-lasting - can be refreshed without complete replacement
   Helps with drainage
   Doubles as a dust bath
   Helps keep feet dry

Cons:

1. 
   Heavy - let's face it, wood chips are lighter than sand ... when they're dry
   Girls love to kick the sand out of the run
   Does not insulate well

We love our sand / PDZ combo in both the run and the coop.

 

[Ridgerunner]

To me the huge benefit of sand is that it drains well if the water has some place to drain to. That requires the sand to be higher than at least part of the surrounding area. A wet run is a breeding ground for Coccidiosis. Sand, if used properly so it can drain, will keep a run dry and greatly reduce the threat from Coccodiosis.

A wet run will stink. Sand, if used so it can drain, will get rid of the water and greatly reduce the chance of it stinking. The smell comes from the poop or organic bedding in the run decomposing. The microbes that decompose the poop need moisture. Keep the run dry and you greatly reduce the chance of your run stinking.

 

[Free Feather]

If you live somewhere warm it would probably be okay to use, but it gets really cold and allows no insulation in the north. I would only use it if they are allowed to free range or have other parts of the run with real dirt to scratch in and get greens and bugs.

 

[CedarCrestFarm]

I could not agree more with "Free Feather" in regards to sand in the coop. I switched all my coops to construction grade sand last year and ended up with several cases of Coccidiosis, sinus infection and mites. (Needless to say I switched back) The sand is still in my compost pile. With wood shavings, I have found that each spring I can spread anything that has fallen or been kicked out of the coops on top of dirt and grass seed. Within a week, the shavings are covered with fresh/new grass. While sand may work well in warmer climates, for cold climates like Ohio, it is the pits!

 

[vsecretz]

Thanks ADozenGirlz for your feedback. I've visited your blog for helpful ideas on a few things as I am a first time backyard chicken owner. I remember reading your post about using sand and the benefits of it. I also live in New England and with this being my first time taking care of chickens ever, I have been learning as much as I can to take care of them the right way. With the cold winter now into play, I'm always worried if they are warm enough (especially at night), if I am wasting money by buying the pine shavings/straw and having to basically replace it all once a week when cleaning the coop. Therefore, I am always looking for the best ideas possible on how to take good care of my chickens without spending too much money.

Right now, using the shavings and straw - I try to layer enough down in the coop to ensure there is enough warmth. I do not close the side rectangular window that is on one side of the coop to keep the air flowing throughout but if I know its going to be a really cold night, I do decide to close it overnight and reopen it during the day. There's just so much to learn and can be overwhelming especially when wanting to know if you're doing things right to ensure their health and well being. But your responses help! I think that I will switch over to sand perhaps when it's not too freezing out in the next couple of months and see how that works out.

 

[jeff smith]

I am just saying that too much sand in the bedding will do this or better yet complete sand. Their crop can and will become impacted over time and at some point not pass . I did a test about 20 years ago with 20 grown birds and put them in 20 different small pens with only sand as bedding. They had full feed and water and over 6 months 70% had impacted crops that was starting to effect their health. So my advise has always been not to have 100% sand as bedding for long periods of time. About 20% of a chickens diet in a chicken coop is their own litter, so they get too much grit and it becomes a harmful rather than helpful. Like everything in life , more is not always better... The right mix of sand added to litter has a lot of benefits as some have mentioned. In general if chickens eat only a formulated chicken feed and are not free ranged , there is the right amount of grit already in the chicken feed. However, if the chickens are free ranged they usually pick up enough grit in the dirt. This has been my experience.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I am just saying that too much sand in the bedding will do this or better yet complete sand. Their crop can and will become impacted over time and at some point not pass . I did a test about 20 years ago with 20 grown birds and put them in 20 different small pens with only sand as bedding. They had full feed and water and over 6 months 70% had impacted crops that was starting to effect their health. So my advise has always been not to have 100% sand as bedding for long periods of time. About 20% of a chickens diet in a chicken coop is their own litter, so they get too much grit and it becomes a harmful rather than helpful. Like everything in life , more is not always better... The right mix of sand added to litter has a lot of benefits as some have mentioned. In general if chickens eat only a formulated chicken feed and are not free ranged , there is the right amount of grit already in the chicken feed. However, if the chickens are free ranged they usually pick up enough grit in the dirt. This has been my experience.

That is completely ridiculous- all of it. Any chicken's crop "can" become impacted, but that has nothing to do with the use of sand. It is 100% untrue that 20% of a chicken's diet is litter! Further, commercial chicken feed not only does NOT have grit in it, commercial chicken feed does not NEED grit to be digested. It would be better simply to say that you don't care for sand than to propagate misinformation.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Sweet PDZ

(​

zeolite

) is a naturally-occurring mineral created from volcanic activity, which captures, neutralizes and eliminates harmful ammonia and odors.​

Sweet PDZ binds ammonia gas and odor to it’s surface, creating healthier air for chickens to breathe. Zeolite/Sweet PDZ is a food grade mineral, which means it is edible. When chickens eat it, Sweet PDZ serves as natural grit, which aids in digestion. It can absorb approximately 40-50% of its weight in moisture, which makes droppings drier and smell less! It can be used with all bedding types, including sand, pine shavings and straw. It provides additional absorbency to bedding, allowing it to perform more efficiently and last longer. Can be used in the chicken run as well as inside the coop. Safe to handle with bare hands and safe to breathe.
Zeolite acts as a compost enhancement and slow-release fertilizer in gardens.

 

[Crooked Halo]

I use all purpose sand in my coop and in the run, and it works great. The sand makes for very easy clean-up. All I do is get a kitty litter scoop and once a day, scoop up the droppings. It takes only a couple minutes. It also drains a lot better than dirt, and leaves the chickens feet a lot cleaner.

 

[Happy Dad]

Quote:
Great PDZ info but I would not say it's safe to breath. Also avians have more sensitive respiratory systems than us so just make sure when you are using PDZ you aren't stirring up a lot of dust. There is no cure for silicosis. http://shop.2farm.com/pdf/msds/A0001050.pdf Section 2. Health Hazard Data Hazardous Ingredients: May contain 0.07 - 0.10% Free Silica Routes of Entry: Inhalation Health Hazards (Acute and Chronic): Prolonged exposure to respirable silica may cause health risks Signs of Exposure: None (this means you won't know if you have been overexposed until it's too late)