Sand as bedding/litter

[RDchicken99]

Hello! I‘ve been doing research into using sand as litter for my chicken house. The current bedding is straw, which I was attempting to try the deep litter method with, however that has been failing for me. It stinks, the poop is building up, it doesn’t seem to be composting to much extent, and in the long run, doesn’t seem to be a healthy environment for my birds. I’m rather quite interested in using sand, except all of the articles and threads that I’ve seen on sand have been in small coops, with only 6-10 birds in them. My birds are in a 450+ square foot chicken house, with 31 birds living in it, and I don’t know if sand would work in my situation. (And FYI, I am fine with scooping poo) Any ideas?

 

[DobieLover]

Hello! I‘ve been doing research into using sand as litter for my chicken house. The current bedding is straw, which I was attempting to try the deep litter method with, however that has been failing for me. It stinks, the poop is building up, it doesn’t seem to be composting to much extent, and in the long run, doesn’t seem to be a healthy environment for my birds. I’m rather quite interested in using sand, except all of the articles and threads that I’ve seen on sand have been in small coops, with only 6-10 birds in them. My birds are in a 450+ square foot chicken house, with 31 birds living in it, and I don’t know if sand would work in my situation. (And FYI, I am fine with scooping poo) Any ideas?

Have you considered poop boards? You cover them with Sweet PDZ and scoop them each morning.

 

[3KillerBs]

I think that you may have some confusion about what Deep Litter is and how it's supposed to work.

Deep Bedding: A dry, non-composting system where you keep adding bedding to the coop as it becomes soiled -- managing it by turning it as necessary (or getting the chickens to turn it for you) -- and clean it out only infrequently when the bedding has become both thoroughly soiled and piled up to the point of not being able to add more. Usually used above a floor in the coop but *can* be done in a covered run over dirt in a favorable climate.

Deep Litter: A moist (not wet, moist), system where the lower layers of material are actively composting while new, dry material is continually added to the top. *Can* be done on any floor surface but is most readily accomplished on a dirt floor because the dirt will seed the material with the beneficial composting organisms.

Inside the coop where it's dry you will never see any composting happen but there should be no odor as long as the bedding is dry and dries out the poop. Here is my article on Deep Bedding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

Inside or out, dry or moist, straw can be problematic. It's subject to packing and matting so it may require you to periodically turn it with a pitchfork if the chickens aren't doing a good job of fluffing it for you.

 

[topochico225]

Where are you located? I'm in SE Louisiana, and sand was disastrous. Ants in the bottom layer, and it was constantly wet.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

I’m in SE Wyoming and sand is awesome. I have poop boards with Zeolyte and then regular sand on the floor. In my dry climate the sand quickly absorbs the moisture and it evaporates so scooping/raking is easy. I’ve had up to 30 chickens in my 8x12 coop (my silly hens abandoned the other coop) and scooping has been easy unless it’s cold enough that the moisture freezes before it can evaporate. Usually that means my sand layer is getting too thin so I should add more.

 

[RDchicken99]

Where are you located?

I’m in SW Missouri, it’s humid here, but not like Louisiana. Do you think sand would still work? And I’m looking into building some poop boards. Thanks for the help.

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

I’m in SW Missouri, it’s humid here, but not like Louisiana. Do you think sand would still work? And I’m looking into building some poop boards. Thanks for the help.

I would not do sand I’m in central Arkansas and fellow Arkansans heavily suggested against it.
I love doing wood shavings from TSC - it’s been very pleasant. I have 18 birds in a 12x6 coop and I wouldn’t do anything else. It’s easy. It absorbs the odor and moisture.

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

I take a rock rake and mix up the shavings when the poop gets heavy on the top and add more as needed. It’s been great.

 

[JacksonPearce]

I've been using sand for a while, and am wondering if I need to switch types. I'm getting river sand, which is quite coarse but still very much sand. I see some people using sand that looks more like very fine gravel. The sand I use gets quite compacted after a while-- am I not cleaning it often enough, or do I need to switch varieties?

 

[Hillcrest homestead]

Hello! I‘ve been doing research into using sand as litter for my chicken house. The current bedding is straw, which I was attempting to try the deep litter method with, however that has been failing for me. It stinks, the poop is building up, it doesn’t seem to be composting to much extent, and in the long run, doesn’t seem to be a healthy environment for my birds. I’m rather quite interested in using sand, except all of the articles and threads that I’ve seen on sand have been in small coops, with only 6-10 birds in them. My birds are in a 450+ square foot chicken house, with 31 birds living in it, and I don’t know if sand would work in my situation. (And FYI, I am fine with scooping poo) Any ideas?

Hi! I live in north Florida and my entire yard is literally sand. It rains and will wash away the organic dark matter and it’s just sand. So I guess I’ve been using sand in my run the whole time since my run is about 1/2 acre fenced in. The sand drains very well so that’s a positive. As for your indoor area, well my birds don’t spend much time Indoors except to sleep. I use zeolite ( sweet-pdz) sprinkled on the coop floor and I use dropping boards sprinkled with it to limit the amount they will walk through. It has worked fine. Forgive my incredulity but I also have read all these impacted crop stories about fine grade sand and buying river sand or crushed gravel and I just have to shake My head because every chicken in Florida eats plenty of fine grade sand. It’s all we have! The whole State is one big sand dune over a coral reef that became limestone and now is being slowly eroded into….you guessed it…beach sand! The articles say the worst part of using beach sand is that it has silica and you (and chickens) can inhale its dust and scar the lungs and that lung damage can lead To cancer….hmm, I wondered if surfers and Lifeguards have high rates of lung cancer? No, I am Logical, so I doubt that this is a real issue with proper ventilation. If I hear scientific evidence that all Florida chickens must be kept indoors and must only eat from clean feeders That are not “contaminated” with fine grade sand I will rethink my position. Until then I say if you can try it in a smaller area first to see if you like it.