run flooring

[cindy parker]

We switched from pine shavings to sand. The shavings work great as long as it's dry. The sand just seems to keep the flies and odor at bay . My run has 1x2 welded wire on the floor

 

[Granny368W]

My run is completely covered and I still dealt with muddy floors when it would rain, it would just soak/run right in. Created all kind of problems ... well, really it was just dirty chickens, and it looked bad!! After reading several posts of people using sand I gave it a try. What a difference it made. I probably put about 4 to 6 inches of sand directly on top of the ground. No more mud and the chickens loved it!! They will scratch and dig and roll and give themselves dust baths. The rooster goes so far as to dig holes just for the girls ... and they love that attention!! My chickens are no longer dirty, the chickens seem happier, and no more mud!! After about six months the sand has turned a slightly tan color and I can tell that in about a year, I'll have some of the richest dirt around to add to my garden! I HIGHLY recommend it!

Wow, I'm wondering if we should go with sand after we get the run finished.... so far I was thinking I would just leave it dirt and put out a shallow container with DE... we could give them greens and other foods they like... I gave them watermelon and they loved it! Just throwing out thoughts....

 

[timbowsr]

How does sand help control the poop build up? Do you have to rake or till the sand periodically or does the poop just go away? I've got 28 pullets in a decent-sized run (12x16 covered, 16x24 uncovered) that is mostly going to be their winter yard since there will be nothing to forage in the tractor (if it's not covered in snow, it will be too miserably cold and windy to be out). The run is on a slight slope and hard rains blow right in and get it fairly muddy. I'm thinking sand is a good way to go, especially when the spring thaw rolls around. I'm just curious as to how much maintenance it requires.

I have zero poop build up. I'm not sure what's going on with it or where it goes, but I believe they just scratch so much that it gets incorporated into the sand. Now don't take me wrong, when they do their business it's there and it sits for a bit and then it just magically disappears. Gotta love it!!

Wow, I'm wondering if we should go with sand after we get the run finished.... so far I was thinking I would just leave it dirt and put out a shallow container with DE... we could give them greens and other foods they like... I gave them watermelon and they loved it! Just throwing out thoughts....

I left my coop floor dirt for some time and it worked. My problem was/is is that my coop is in a low lying area and it gets drenched when it rains and drainage was extremely slow. By using the sand I was able to build up the coop floor and that kept my birds nice and dry. The extra cleanliness and happiness of the birds is a bonus. I know that DE is supposed to have all kind of health benefits, but honestly I haven't had to use it. No mites, no illnesses just happy, healthy chickens. My chickens love watermelon as well ... I'll throw a few rinds in their coop and when I go back nothing left but paper thin skins.

On a side note: My nephew built a coop and because of the success I had with sand he did the same and he is very pleased with the results. I recently completed a breeding/grow out pen and also filled it with sand. The sand in this pen doesn't stay as clean as my main coop and I think it's because my young birds just don't scratch as much as the big birds. But ... they're getting bigger each day!! I still don't have a problem with poop build up and haven't had to clean the floor of this coop yet and they've been in there for about a month now.

 

[Granny368W]

I have zero poop build up. I'm not sure what's going on with it or where it goes, but I believe they just scratch so much that it gets incorporated into the sand. Now don't take me wrong, when they do their business it's there and it sits for a bit and then it just magically disappears. Gotta love it!!


I left my coop floor dirt for some time and it worked. My problem was/is is that my coop is in a low lying area and it gets drenched when it rains and drainage was extremely slow. By using the sand I was able to build up the coop floor and that kept my birds nice and dry. The extra cleanliness and happiness of the birds is a bonus. I know that DE is supposed to have all kind of health benefits, but honestly I haven't had to use it. No mites, no illnesses just happy, healthy chickens. My chickens love watermelon as well ... I'll throw a few rinds in their coop and when I go back nothing left but paper thin skins.

On a side note: My nephew built a coop and because of the success I had with sand he did the same and he is very pleased with the results. I recently completed a breeding/grow out pen and also filled it with sand. The sand in this pen doesn't stay as clean as my main coop and I think it's because my young birds just don't scratch as much as the big birds. But ... they're getting bigger each day!! I still don't have a problem with poop build up and haven't had to clean the floor of this coop yet and they've been in there for about a month now.

wow, that all sounds great...we'll just have to see how ours turns out... we poured the cement for the posts yesterday... we have to go to town today so tomorrow we'll start working again....ugh!!

 

[cmak]

I'm going to start calling around and find some sand!

 

[Blooie]

I am using deep litter in my run. I cleaned it out this spring after a year, and now that I have a better idea how the process works, I'll be able to leave it even longer between cleanings. When it gets unsightly, I just toss another bag of dried leaves, a little chopped straw, grass clippings, garden weeds, pine shavings - whatever I have handy, and the chickens scratch it down into the litter in short order.

I had landscape fabric as shade, and it worked fantastic. If you've ever poured water on that stuff, you've probably noticed that at first it just sits on top, maybe running a little toward a low spot. Well, it did the same thing over my run - water ran down it before it could soak in. Now, it didn't stop every drop of moisture - I got just enough through to keep the deep litter from being too dry. Landscape fabric is porous too, so air can flow through it well. My run is a hoop run, and we attached the ends of the landscape fabric to 4 ' long metal straps, one on each side of each cattle panel. I could roll the fabric up and down like window shades. Since each panel had it's own cover, I could have one or more open at a time, lower them all, or have them all rolled most of the way up. But this year hubby decided to use a tarp with a reflective side over the run. I hate it. It's hot because there's no air flow at the top of the run, and it's all one piece so I have no control over how much sun or shade they get. We just finished "discussing" this today and I'm going back to landscape fabric. I also think it looks way nicer than a stupid tarp!

You can see how the landscape fabric is raised over the center cattle panel. Using it and pine shavings, leaves, and other yard "waste" gave me a wonderful "floor" for my chickens. Bugs, sprouts, and boredom buster, all in one substrate!

 

[timbowsr]

Very nice Blooie. I'm starting a Delaware breeding program and I have my main coop and breeding pens, the only thing I'm missing is a growout area. We are considering a hoop coop for this. It can be moved around and taken down when finished. I like the idea of the landscape fabric!!

 

[GreenRunner]

I'm loving the tip about the sand. I've just moved house and the old run became so muddy and boggy - it was awful and the hens look dreadful. I haven't determined the final position for the new run (it's an all-in-one contraption that can be moved around) but I'm going to try sand in it for now and see how that works!

 

[Wickedchicki]

What kind if sand? Where to get it and dehydrated earth? Just don't want to make an expensive mistake and get the wrong thing

 

[GreenRunner]

What kind if sand? Where to get it and dehydrated earth? Just don't want to make an expensive mistake and get the wrong thing

I'm not sure if this is right as after reading this thread I went ahead and just bought it, but I bought playground sand - ie the type for kids to play in. The chickens are THRILLED. They've been bathing in it all day, and @timbowsr is right - no poop. I'm astonished. Yesterday there was poop, today it's vanished! I guess the sand sucks in the moisture and the whole thing gets scattered around.

Best bit of advice I've come across - could've done with it years ago!