Sand as Bedding

[My Pretty Pekins]

I have a few queries about using sand as bedding in the coop I have in progress.

A bit of background information, and then we'll get into my questions. I plan on keeping 5-10 Silkie adults in this coop. The number will probably not rise above 6 but there's square footage enough for 10. They will also have a covered dirt run. However, it does rain a lot where I live in winter/autumn, so this could be boggy at time. I've made sure there'll be plenty of room in the coop and am hoping that, if they like, the Silkies could dustbath in the sand.
So...
1. Is this possible? Would they dustbath in the sand?
2. Has anyone used sand in a playhouse before - do they have feedback?
3. How and how often would I clean this out?

Thank you!

 

[aart]

How big is the playhouse?
How many birds in there?
Pics might help here.

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.

-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.

-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.

- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.

-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 7 years.

 

[Birdsonghill]

I do a little cleaning regularly, but major muck outs only needed twice a year! If I had to clean out and replace all the litter weekly I would raise cows instead! Place your roost over a cleanout area and top up or remove the litter only there, every few weeks. The deep litter method for the rest of the house only requires a bit of fluffing and/or a bit of fresh litter topping added every few weeks! I use mostly clean wheat straw but pine shavings work well and I have tried about everything. Some other litters require more additions or cleanouts to keep the odors down and the moisture levels in check. Do control water spillage from founts, cups, nipples in the coop and it may be necessary to clean out under the water system more often , if you have not carefully set it up and maintained it. I realize some of you have very tiny coops and only a few birds and your priorities may be different from chicken farmers with larger coops and more birds. Bedding /litter should be dry, light, absorbent, cheap, little dust/fines and readily compostable! To many small or fine particles and the chickens may eat a lot of it or develop respiratory ailments. For a tiny coop, pine shavings or commercial cannabis litter may be best to minimize cleanouts and control odor.

 

[3KillerBs]

What would you think needs cleaning least often?

I use coarse flake shavings in my coop. I start with about 2" and add another couple inches every few weeks until it gets to the point where I cannot physically add another layer and either the poop-to-shavings ratio is visibly higher than I want to see it or I detect an odor that isn't solved by adding more shavings usually 6-12 weeks depending on weather and chicken density.

I like this deep bedding method because I don't have to do any daily cleaning, not even weekly cleaning, and because I can schedule the big clean out at my own convenience on a day when the weather is good.

Some people don't like pine shavings because they don't compost as readily as some other materials, but in my hot, humid climate that's not a big problem.

I've tried straw, but didn't think that it lasted as long as shavings before it started to smell.

 

[MissMonty]

We tried sand in the coop here in Ohio and it was a nightmare. We went back to shavings.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I could give it half an hour or so each morning before anything else, if that's an indicator. I'll look into it. Obviously as I'm having Silkies, they might not be very into roosting, but we'll see!

Also, would you explain what you mean by sifting? I mean, I'm thinking of the cooking type - sifting flour or something! Am I getting mixed up?

Half hour should be fine. I spend maybe 20 minutes each morning putting out chicken food, cleaning poop out of coop and run, and just eyeballing everything to make sure all is well.

And by sifting I mean like cleaning out a cat litter box. I use a cat litter scoop (taped to a broomstick, so I don't have to squat) to sift poop out of the hemp, which then goes into my compost bin. Most of the hemp is fine enough to fall through.

 

[3KillerBs]

Sand usually only works well in a dry climate.

Because sand doesn't compost the poop like organic bedding it gets stinky when it gets wet.

 

[Gallinarium]

I've used sand in the coop. I prefer to use shavings in the winter, since it's warmer, but sand is wonderfully cool in the summer. Yes, they do dust bathe in it, and very happily. The larger space per hen it has, the better it works and the less often you have to clean it.
I just use a leaf rake and rake the stuff off about every other day.
I still use it in the run, even in the winter.

 

[Gallinarium]

Thank you for the tips! Perhaps we'll give it a try. What do you put under it? Do you have a plastic lining for the coop floor?

We have linoleum under it, because it's cheap and easy to clean.

 

[My Pretty Pekins]

We have linoleum under it, because it's cheap and easy to clean.

Mm I was thinking similar. Thank you for the advice!