Sand as litter?

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I've thought about using sand too, but my coop has a dirt floor; it's not a raised coop. It's a custom built little building for chickens. The sand would definitely get muddy.

I can assure you that the sand does not get muddy. In fact, it keeps muddiness from happening. I have it in both coop and run. Even with nasty clay soil the sand keeps the run from getting nasty. My coop has a 4x4 base and just sits on the ground. When I had plastic underneath the sand to prevent water capillary action, it got too dusty. When I removed the plastic, the sand absorbed just enough moisture to prevent the dustiness.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Nice!
Got a build thread or article with the details of how you built this?

No, I don't, sorry. The run is just made from a typical chain link dog pen with open top, and I had the tubular framing from one of those fabric-covered canopies/carports that was here when I bought the place. It had the necessary welded tubular connectors (top piece is shown below) and poles,

but I had to buy chain link fence connectors (see below; available at Lowes for about $1-2 apiece) to connect the vertical roof poles to the horizontal kennel poles. Some dog kennels come with an angled roof.

 

[CPT]

Ok, straw I will use. Plus I'll thrown down some deodorizer. What kinds of grains to thrown down?

 

[silly4buttons]

Mine is very similar

 

[Jukasorenson]

I have this exact coop, but I haven't modified it at all*. I keep five grown hens in there, and open the door to a larger "run" area during the daytime hours. I used pine shavings in the summertime and just clean out the drawer by reaching in and pulling the soiled shavings out into a bucket. Every few weeks I pull the drawer to empty it and clean it thoroughly. In the winter, I use straw instead of shavings and so far it seems to be working well. Their poo freezes, so I can easily reach in and pull out soiled straw and throw it onto the run. This way I use my straw twice....once for bedding and once for run covering to protect their feet from the snow. It will probably be a mess when I have to clean it out in the spring, but it seems to be working well for my girls as of this winter. *The one modification we (ahem, my husband) did was to put a ceiling in the nesting box area and insulate it with foam rubber insulation from cold food shipping boxes. The girls don't seem to be suffering from any type of cold or discomfort.

 

[Mark Cavalli]

View attachment 1194706 Front view. 10ft x 10ft x 6ft chain link dog run. I'm still tworking on the fencing especially the door as it has gaps.View attachment 1194708 The top is 1inch x 2inch x 2ft x12ft wire strips, 6 of them I wired together.View attachment 1194718 The entire thing is wrapped with 1inch x 2inch x 2ft wire on the top 2 feet while the bottom 4 feet is wrapped in 1/2inch hardware cloth.View attachment 1194723 The apron is around the run AND the coop has its own apron which you cannotsee because we buried View attachment 1194725 South/right side shows scrap plastic siding from an old hot tub covering the View attachment 1194726 bottom of the coops attached run. North side, bottom covered only under hen house. Another view.View attachment 1194728View attachment 1194730 East side, nesting door and the covering. This covering was all done to prevent rain making the feeding area wet. View attachment 1194736 I blocked access to that covered area under the hen house because they go there instead of in the roosting area of hen house. View attachment 1194739 The clean out door with pull out tray below it. Wood strips are blocking drafts from gaps. Did the same thing insde nesting door. View attachment 1194741 Looking into clean out door. They prefer to sit in shavings over sitting on roosts. View attachment 1194743 Blocking the nesting area to prevent starting bad habits of kpooping in there. I'll open it when they get to the age of laying eggs.View attachment 1194747 The one good thing on this coop...the vent at the top which you see here as a bit of light. View attachment 1194748 The vent as seen from the outside.

I have the exact same coop what I did was build a cover over the top of it and in the winter I drape a tarp over it works great I made it big enough for them to come out and have an area that is dry well it's raining. And then if they want they can go inside up their little ladder and lay eggs perfect I dig my little coop I think they need to keep selling them people just need to learn how to add on to them to make them the way they would like it.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I have this exact coop, but I haven't modified it at all*. I keep five grown hens in there, and open the door to a larger "run" area during the daytime hours. I used pine shavings in the summertime and just clean out the drawer by reaching in and pulling the soiled shavings out into a bucket. Every few weeks I pull the drawer to empty it and clean it thoroughly. In the winter, I use straw instead of shavings and so far it seems to be working well. Their poo freezes, so I can easily reach in and pull out soiled straw and throw it onto the run. This way I use my straw twice....once for bedding and once for run covering to protect their feet from the snow. It will probably be a mess when I have to clean it out in the spring, but it seems to be working well for my girls as of this winter. *The one modification we (ahem, my husband) did was to put a ceiling in the nesting box area and insulate it with foam rubber insulation from cold food shipping boxes. The girls don't seem to be suffering from any type of cold or discomfort.

How long have you had the coop?

 

[Folly's place]

Mark, are you in snow country? Rain is easy with a tarp over the run. Snow, not so much.
Mary

 

[Mark Cavalli]

Mark, are you in snow country? Rain is easy with a tarp over the run. Snow, not so much.
Mary

Yes I understand that Mary I get snow and rain where I am if you put a good pitch on your structure the snow will come off snow slides easier on a good strong tarp than it does on wood or shingles. If I get a lot of snow of course I got to help it by pulling the snow down but it's not a big deal you don't have to climb up on it to pull it down. Your pin is nice it just needs a little pitch to guide the snow off. Mark

 

[Mark Cavalli]

How long have you had the coop?

I take care of The inside of the coop just like Soon2BChixmom does her pen and it works out great for me as well when I have to clean the inside. So again I like my pan and I have eight hens and so far so good. I have had this for over a year now.