Sand as litter?

[Soon2BChixMom]

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.

Did you expand the run? I have 4 chickens. I expanded it about 6sq ft. to give them a bit of extra room. The only problem is is that I had to keep it closed during the freezing weather so that they would still have the protection of the hw cloth of the main set up.
I think this coop is fine as long as you take care of it and have it set up properly. I water sealed it and then set it up on landscaping pavers to keep it level and to keep it off the ground. Then, I added a hw apron to add some more protection.
I am thinking of expanding this spring, so will keep the coop as an emergency option.

 

[Cryss]

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.

Mark I'd love to see pics of your coop with that cover. Always looking to tweek my ideas.

 

[DeeAnn5]

Interesting post and gotcha - herding chickens is not a thing! I wanted to share a few thoughts on your post, just my experience for what it's worth. Firstly, your chicks look great and it sounds like you are taking fantastic care of them! In my experience, considerate husbandry pays dividends with healthy birds and good production. The only concern I have with sand is that it is so heavy...my little coop trays probably aren't built for that...My hens already know how to roost, so they don't stand on the tray...I think I read somewhere how to teach the chicks to roost up on the perches, but I haven't had to do that. I guess my point is, my hens sleep up on the perches in the roosting area and their poop falls directly on the metal tray. Then I just pull the tray out daily, scrape it to my compost area, then return the tray. They don't really lay on it...
Another note is that, all birds "dust" as a natural behavior, and sand is great for that. (I mix Food grade Diatomaceous Earth with the sand for my pet quail... which helps prevent lice, and plan to sprinkle some in the egg laying area of my hen coop.) If you place some sand in a small, shallow wash tub, I guarantee your hens will take a sand bath. This is a natural behavior for them, they use it to remove rancid oil from their feathers. It's important for their well being...They distribute the sand through their feathers, then they will distribute fresh oil from their preen gland, which all birds have, to protect their feathers. This is how and why birds are rain proof, actually it's very important to allow them to do this. My hens don't need a sand bath because they are free range and just make their own dusting area in the dirt...
Oh one other thing is, when I got my adult hens they had never lived in a chicken tractor before, so they didn't understand they are supposed to sleep up in the roosting area. I put a nice little dish with some canned corn and black oil sunflower seeds up in the roosting area. When one found it, the others came up to check it out and I locked them in with it overnight... However mine has a light in it that we installed, so if you don't have a light you could use a (battery) lantern or flashlight if it's too scary and dark for them to go in....Then usually one was too scared to go in, so I just guided her in with a combination of throwing bits of corn on the ramp as a lure and then using a rake to guide her up the ramp, then locked them in.
I believe it is better for them to sleep in an enclosed area, and it's worth it to take the time to help them develop these good habits now...Thanks for your interesting post! Good luck!

 

[DeeAnn5]

Oh yes I see you are in New Jersey, so you will also need your girls to be locked into the coop part, that way they can keep each other warm. We had some zero degree days and below zero nights here in Missouri last week. I slept so well knowing my hens were warm and safe!!!

 

[Chullicken]

Sand is wonderful and affordable. It has a lot of uses and chickens love the stuff. I've used it for a few years and in the winter I decided it's a nightmare to maintain being in New England. It gets rock hard if any moisture touches it and like mentioned above, you really have to keep on it. Warmer months it works fantastic, great drainage and easy to clean. Looks amazing once you've raked it all. I now use Pine Shavings and Chopped Straw during the colder months, just so much easier to spot clean.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

@DeeAnn5 Do you have a pic of your coop and/or tractor?

 

[Cryss]

Wow! This is a featured thread! Thank you!

 

[Cryss]

mom

Interesting post and gotcha - herding chickens is not a thing! I wanted to share a few thoughts on your post, just my experience for what it's worth. Firstly, your chicks look great and it sounds like you are taking fantastic care of them! In my experience, considerate husbandry pays dividends with healthy birds and good production. The only concern I have with sand is that it is so heavy...my little coop trays probably aren't built for that...My hens already know how to roost, so they don't stand on the tray...I think I read somewhere how to teach the chicks to roost up on the perches, but I haven't had to do that. I guess my point is, my hens sleep up on the perches in the roosting area and their poop falls directly on the metal tray. Then I just pull the tray out daily, scrape it to my compost area, then return the tray. They don't really lay on it...
Another note is that, all birds "dust" as a natural behavior, and sand is great for that. (I mix Food grade Diatomaceous Earth with the sand for my pet quail... which helps prevent lice, and plan to sprinkle some in the egg laying area of my hen coop.) If you place some sand in a small, shallow wash tub, I guarantee your hens will take a sand bath. This is a natural behavior for them, they use it to remove rancid oil from their feathers. It's important for their well being...They distribute the sand through their feathers, then they will distribute fresh oil from their preen gland, which all birds have, to protect their feathers. This is how and why birds are rain proof, actually it's very important to allow them to do this. My hens don't need a sand bath because they are free range and just make their own dusting area in the dirt...
Oh one other thing is, when I got my adult hens they had never lived in a chicken tractor before, so they didn't understand they are supposed to sleep up in the roosting area. I put a nice little dish with some canned corn and black oil sunflower seeds up in the roosting area. When one found it, the others came up to check it out and I locked them in with it overnight... However mine has a light in it that we installed, so if you don't have a light you could use a (battery) lantern or flashlight if it's too scary and dark for them to go in....Then usually one was too scared to go in, so I just guided her in with a combination of throwing bits of corn on the ramp as a lure and then using a rake to guide her up the ramp, then locked them in.
I believe it is better for them to sleep in an enclosed area, and it's worth it to take the time to help them develop these good habits now...Thanks for your interesting post! Good luck!

I do have a kitty litter box I use for their dust baths. It has sand, soil, and wood ash. Because it has to sit out in the run rather than under shelter I bring it indoors every evening so it doesnt fill with snow or water and freeze. It warms it up to room temperature too. 2 of the gals and the 1 roo (surprise!) all roost now. The third gal, my little Repecca, cant roost on her own because she's pigeon toed and possibly has a vision problem. Naturally shes my favorite, don't tell the others. After everyone goes into the shelter at night I find her under the others so I pick her up and set her on the roost. If I didn't do that she'd be a poopcicle by morning. In the morning after I open the pop door and the others come out I open the clean out door and take her off the roost to join the others. Ramps aren't her favorite either. I'm concerned she will injure a foot getting off the roost, more like falling off the roost truthfully. I am a retired nurse who worked with severely special needs children and a quadriplegic client. I don't mind working with a special needs chicken. She's so sweet and follows me all around the run.

 

[chickenmeadow]

Love sand for chicken litter base. Every morning I easily/quickly scoop up the moist chicken droppings with a kitty litter scoop & if needed shake out the dry sand, then into a short bucket & dump it into the compost pile. Easy peasy!

My newest coop is an old mini barn storage shed. My hubby put in a sand tray on both sides & end of the walk-in coop (except for the end where the door is, leaving the chickens & I a walk around area); the trays go around at about hip or waist height & are made of plywood & 2x4 rails, all of the trays are lined with vinyl that wraps around the outer rails too. The roosts for the chickens are above the sand trays on both sided, with around 3" of sand in the trays (also sprinkle in a little "Dry Stall" for freshness & a little drying of any wet sand in the wet months). The floor of the coop stays dry without the major amount of droppings & under the sand trays has vinyl & sand also, with some loose hay or straw so they can jump to the floor from the roosts or tray rails onto a cushioned surface. This is the best set up for a dryer, easier to clean, & way less odor & flies coop. Under the trays also give them more walking room & eating area hanging under the trays.

 

[chickenmeadow]

By the way, if your sand is wet, try putting a thin layer out & add more as that airs out & drys. You could also put some in a deep metal pan & into the oven. At least sand does not soak up water & air dries well. Good luck with that.