Sand in coop?

[sprede]

Hello everyone,
My name is Steve and I am a new member here. My family and I just moved to Utah Salt Lake City area. Having back yard chickens has always been on my bucket list mostly for fresh eggs and the experience. Anyways, we have some baby chicks about 5 weeks old ready to go out to the coop so I am getting it all prepared. We have been using pine shavings in the area they are in now but what a mess. So I was reading, that if used correctly, sand would actually be easier and cleaner than the pine shavings. So I am sold on that idea but I have some questions that hopefully you all experts can answer. 1) I know sand can bebused in the run area, but can the sand also be used in the coop shelter area where the perch is? 2) We are not going to use sand in the entire run area since as of right now it is all grass but will use it in the coop so not much is needed. A truck load of sand would be to much and no where to store it. Lowe's has bagged construction sand which I have read would work but want to hear from you all on that. Can I use that?

 

[PorkChop]

Hello Steve, I cannot help you regarding sand inside of the coop but can say that I have used the bagged construction sand from Lowe’s in our chicken run. I think it comes in 900 lb bag. Our chickens love it and dirt bath in it and it also helps with the chicken poop. Although my wife has a process where she screens the sand occasionally to clean it. Mixes in some lime once in awhile as well.

Haven’t used sand on the floor of our coop but I did build our coop with a linoleum floor for easy cleanup. We use pine shavings in the nesting boxes. So we go in once a day and scrape the floor to clean up the poop. Use a metal bucket and 8” Sheetrock mud blade. (Wife stole it from my garage) If you stay on top of it no smell. My wife and daughter do most of the work caring for the birds so easy from side anyway.

 

[sprede]

Well that is awesome. I ended up talking to a local veteran backyard chicken farmer and he said not to use sand in the actual coop shelter but in the run enclosure is ok. I like the idea of tile or lenolium on the flooring for easy cleanup.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Only good place to use sand is on the poop boards...IMO.
Once the grass is gone add wood chippings, and other dry plant materials, is best in run, never have to 'clean'.



-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
-Runs have semi-deep litter, never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).
There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.

 

[sprede]

You all are awesome with all your experiences and suggestions. Thank you so much.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Sand would require too much cleaning, DLM works for me. If I had to sift sand like a cat litter pan I would not have chickens.

Gary