Sand freezing in coop?

[chicknbuns]

I recently took out all the shavings in our coop to try sand. I bought several bags of play sand at Wally world and it was pretty damp. I have noticed that it seems to get really hard and compacted and am wondering if i could mix in some DE to draw out the moisture and make it more loose? I just don't want it turning to concrete!

Any experience with this? Thanks

 

[nwfl]

I live in northwest florida and my property is a high percentage white quartz sand. I have never experienced any clumping of clean sand except in winters freezing damp or from the bonding funk of natures bounty. Something doesn't seem right with a sand that clumps without something organic bonding it, does it? Perhaps find a natural sand source or incorporate some contractor sand from hardware store.

 

[chicknbuns]

Thanks. If IS clean sand but was pretty damp and it freezes here still at night. Its like wet sand on the beach instead of loose sand. Doesn't clump. I think once the weather gets warmer it will be ok. I will try the DE in a smaller batch to see if it works.

 

[elmo]

Uh oh. I think you may have a kind of sand that's not good for use as chicken bedding. Some sands have clay fines in them that tend to clump when wet. The all purpose bagged sand they sell at our local Home Depot is like this. I got a bag once, it got wet, and turned into a concrete like lump. Fortunately I hadn't spread any of this kind in the run or coop! The all purpose sand they sell at our local Lowes does not have this kind of clumping property after it gets wet.