Sand for the Coop, Cost? New Question post # 8

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

I use sand on the floor and PINE shavings in the nesting boxes seems to work well enough for me.

 

[WhoaNellie]

Newbie question here:
The sand doesn't cause impaction problems? Do your chickens ever pick at it and eat it?
I love the idea, but I would have never thought to do it because I'd be concerned about health issues....

 

[golddeer]

Sand is THE BEST thing for your run. It stays dry, is super easy to clean and keeps the chickens happy b/c they can eat grit all day. Our run is 4x4 and we bought 6 bags of all purpose construction sand (it should say "mixed" not uniform on the grit size) from Home Depot for about $2 per bag. Go for it!

 

[WhoaNellie]

Oh Geez! I'm an idiot! I didn't even think about GRIT

 

[Carpe DiHen]

Quote:
Hoping the chicks will lay you some money?

 

[bluebird]

I put several inches of sand in my two bantie's run and also mixed in a few bags of paver base which is a fine gravel so it drains and dries really well. I'm sure they eat some of the sand/gravel which acts like grit. Add a little DE every now and then too. Really easy to keep clean!

 

[Opa]

Quote:
Hoping the chicks will lay you some money?

I was hoping I could shame them into laying better.

 

[tri-5-ron]

Sand is usually measured/sold by the cubic yard, or by the ton.
here's a easy way for you to calculate how much sand you will need.

1 cubic yard of sand will cover:

80 Square feet @ 4" deep
90 Square feet @ 3" deep
100 Square feet @ 2" deep
110 Square feet @ 1" deep

btw- if you are going to go buy some, you will probably get a better price if you call a concrete company and ask to buy it from them, rather than getting bags at a home or garden store. ( I know this because I own a concrete company ).

Also, if you look in your yellow pages under concrete, and look up "Short-load" or "Mobile-mix" or "Mix on site" you can probably go to their yard and they will put a scoop in your truck with their loader.
But one thing to remember is that 1 cubic yard of sand weighs approx. 3500 lbs., so dont think you are going to go get a whole cubic yard in the back of your little Toyota or Nissan pick-up truck. Use a full sized 3/4 or 1 ton pick-up truck.

hope this helps,
Ron