Question for sand proponents

[kuntrygirl]

If anyone is interested, I started a thread in January 2013 about sand. In this pic, you can see that I have not replaced my sand in 2 years. However, I need to add more sand. I have never went in to turn over the sand to work the poo in at all.

You can also see how well my uncovered sand run held up in 12 inches of rain.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...r-rain-updated-after-12-inches-of-rain-post-1


The sand worked so well, I had 16 tons of sand hauled in about a month ago. Sand is now in my chicken yard.

Sand was spread under and around coops and in a large area of the chicken yard. It looks like the beach.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Oh wow I did NOT know that.... I used to work in a Garden shop and sand was a component to potting soil. So Most likely people with Clay soils should probably put down a physical barrier between the Clay and the Sand for the run like a garden fabric of some sort. They make them heavy enough chickens couldnt scratch em up but would allow water to pass through....

Gosh we have lots of clay in certain areas here....

deb

 

[WoodlandWoman]

We have heavy clay soil here, too. We haven't had any problems with the sand in the run or what was added to the garden areas. We also add organic matter to the garden areas.

 

[Sexy Silkie]

I putt coffee grounds in my flower beds to keep cats out but will it hurt my chickens if they eat them?

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Oh wow I did NOT know that.... I used to work in a Garden shop and sand was a component to potting soil. So Most likely people with Clay soils should probably put down a physical barrier between the Clay and the Sand for the run like a garden fabric of some sort. They make them heavy enough chickens couldnt scratch em up but would allow water to pass through....

Gosh we have lots of clay in certain areas here....

deb

I wasn't meaning don't put sand on top of the soil, I was meaning don't mix in waste sand as a soil amendment in the garden or flower beds with clay soils. I think people would be just fine using it as the top layer.

 

[Tiddbit74]

Here are some pics with the sand.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Here are some pics with the sand.

Perfect!

 

[jusy]

We are doing the bedding debate here.

15 chicks, 12 heavy breeds, 3 bantams brought by a friend who thought they were too cute not to have. Rocks, Buffs and Welsummers are about ready to go to the coop. Banty chicks are only 3 weeks old, so will stay in a brooder for a while.

The hen house is (being) built against the side of a workshop on the front of our property, because we can see the hens from the house that way. It has a concrete floor, which I am reading is both good (for safety, security) and bad (for warmth and composting purposes.)

We are considering sand as bedding. However, I would still like to compost. Can I just compost what I sift out of the sand daily? I also want to use boards under the roosts, so I will scrape that into compost.

Really, the question is: how do sand bedding and compost dovetail together?

Judi
Muscatine IA

 

[naadarien]

Really, the question is: how do sand bedding and compost dovetail together?

Judi
Muscatine IA

Ditto...that is my question as well. Same environment (concrete floors) and want to compost.

Also, are you all in warm, dry climates? How does the sand hold up in cold, wet climates where it freezes and snows? I saw on poster in Ontario who said the sand was always wet so I was kind of concerned about that.

 

[Alaskan]

Any litter that has any moisture in it will freeze into a brick if it is cold enough and there is enough moisture. So...for winter you need to decide how you will manage the poop.

In the deep litter method you just toss more wood chips on top and don't touch it until spring, so it doesn't matter if it freezes solid.

If you make a poop board with sweetPDZ under the perch, that will stay dry, and still be scoop-able.

The litter in the bottom of the coop is more likely to freeze solid because of snow brought in on chicken feet and your feet and maybe the waterer.

As to compost......

You can use sand and scoop out the poop to add to the compost pile, the sand on the poop will help the compost, so all good.

Of course, litter using wood chips or something like that adds lots of other material along with the poop. Depends on what you want for your compost.