Sand Coop Flooring

[KaityRoseChicks]

I'm new to chickens and having sand as the coop flooring sounds like it's pretty great. Stays cool in the summer (great as my summers can get over 100 degrees) BUT we also have winters where it gets freezing. Would this still be an ideal option? I don't plan on heating my coop. Also, does it attract sand fleas? Can I put something in it to deter sand fleas? I know about pdz and that's definitely gonna be in my back of tricks to keep it smelling nice. I'd like any insight to this! Thanks

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I have been doing the sand thing for about a week now so much easier take a cat pooper scooper clean out under the roost every morning and smells like new and to keep away sand fleas just use some diatomatius earth and sprinkle it in through the sand. We get down in he teens here and they are fine through the winters and can have pretty high temps here also in the summer

 

[liz72703]

I've used sand/PDZ a long time in my coop and really like it. No flies, no smell, easy to clean. I don't heat my coop in the winter and it hasn't been an issue. My girls don't spend much time walking around in there anyway. My run is protected from rain and they prefer to be out there unless they are sleeping or laying.

 

[KaityRoseChicks]

What type of sand? Play sand? Other type? IS there a type of sand?

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I just got mine right out of the stream its nice soft sand just set it in a week barrow and let it dry and turn it over every day or u can get just play sand from lowes or Home Depot

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Yes me to but I like it because in the winter on days it's really cold out and I don't let them out it acts as a covered dust bath around to give them something to do while they are in there house and every morning just scoop out the poo clumps and toss it in ur garden with a bucket

 

[KaityRoseChicks]

Awesome! I think this is the way I'll go. I'll have to buy sand as we only have clay in Louisiana lol

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Ya the stream on the one side as the water stirs off into two ways the one side is dried up so once the sand drys on that side I am going to go scoop it up and put more in there house

 

[liz72703]

Most people recommend "construction" sand that is more coarse. You can read more about what I'm talking about here:

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/09/chicken-coop-bedding-sand-litter.html


Definitely do not use play sand because most of that type of sand is too fine and will clump together.

I went everywhere around here and could not find construction sand and most places thought I was crazy asking for it. I finally ended up getting "All purpose" sand at Lowe's. Not quite as coarse as I wanted, but not bad.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_98545-286-115251_0__?productId=3048145

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I just got more sand out of the stream and it's drying now but it's dark out now so tomarrow it will dry and then next week we are to get some snow even though we have been getting up in the 70s and rain but now next week it's to get cold again and snow