Sand and duck/goose feet

[brandilly]

So I've read and read and I'm just not sure so I thought I would just ask for opinions.

I want to change over my coop and run to sand. Right now, the coop has pine shavings and the run is grass. Well, it WAS grass, until wet weather set in and now it's covered over in a nice grass hay. Both the coop and run are a BEAR to clean! I do not compost as I don't have anything to use the compost on right now. So it goes into a firepit. Did you know that wet, compacted pine shavings and wet, poopy grass hay DOES NOT burn well? I did not. So what I'm trying to say here is that it's a pain in my behind to keep the run and coop clean.

I have read so many good things about sand in chicken coop/runs. But duck/goose feet are different than chicken feet so therein lies my question. Can they sleep/walk on river sand or construction grade sand ok? I guess I worry most about the webbed feet getting cut. But the sand in question doesn't look at all big. Just a little coarser than play sand.

So if anyone has time, perhaps you could give me thoughts, opinions, advice... HELP! Please?

 

[subhanalah]

I have read great things about people digging down and laying down landscaping material with sand on top, then another layer of landscaping fabric and pea gravel on top. The fabric prevents it from getting all mixed up together and turning into a muddy mess, and the sand and pea gravel help a lot with drainage. I would think when you rinse down duck/goose poop, you would need the rocks to have more space between them for the solids to wash down. They said if you can walk on it in bare feet, then it'll be good for your ducks. For some reason that I can't remember these different people didn't like sand as they had tried it and it didn't work out too well, and the pea gravel was a dream.

 

[brandilly]

I have read great things about people digging down and laying down landscaping material with sand on top, then another layer of landscaping fabric and pea gravel on top. The fabric prevents it from getting all mixed up together and turning into a muddy mess, and the sand and pea gravel help a lot with drainage. I would think when you rinse down duck/goose poop, you would need the rocks to have more space between them for the solids to wash down. They said if you can walk on it in bare feet, then it'll be good for your ducks. For some reason that I can't remember these different people didn't like sand as they had tried it and it didn't work out too well, and the pea gravel was a dream.

From what I've read, it sounds like if I cover a stall rake with 1/4 hardware cloth I can use it like a supersized catbox scooper. Tales have been told it takes less than 5 minutes to clean every day and if you set boards around the perimeter of your run so the sand doesn't wash out, you very rarely have to add more sand. Drains like a champ. I am with you, as far as a further preventative step; I would lay pea gravel down and then some landscaping fabric and then my sand. As it stands, because I've put grass hay down I've avoided mud. The run is a 10x10 dog kennel that's covered, the coop is inside that. I'm in the Pacific NW and get lots of rain but amazingly very little blows in! Thanks for the comment about walking on it in bare feet, hadn't thought of that! And thanks for weighing in, too! I like to hear/read lots of different points of view and roll them around in my (pea)brain for awhile before I commit! Want The Feathers to be happy but want to make things as streamlined as possible, too!