Sand in run

[Rick&Chris]

I think you'll regret it and end up changing to something else, lol. After the years of being interested in chicken-keeping, I still don't get how many people flock toward sand and ask so many questions about it, get into this and that about all the different types of sand, etc.; giving themselves regular poop-scooping chores...and then at some point make complaints about it. Just look back in the forums, it's a regular cycle .

Basically any dry organic material/wood chips/etc is about as easy as it gets when it comes to management, if it's in contact with the ground it mimics an understory environment that a chicken would be foraging naturally to get critters, and in the end you can harvest all the compost material for gardening purposes - I just harvested 5 wheelbarrows from my run last weekend to put under my fruit trees - SO many worms in that beautiful humus!!!

Well, I am one that got sucked in. Oh well, now I need to figure out how to remove 3 scoops of sand that I had put in by a neighbor/landscaper (I can’t ask them to remove it now). My husband is not going to be happy - may take a year, but we’ll get it done. Should have followed my gut

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Well, I am one that got sucked in. Oh well, now I need to figure out how to remove 3 scoops of sand that I had put in by a neighbor/landscaper (I can’t ask them to remove it now). My husband is not going to be happy - may take a year, but we’ll get it done. Should have followed my gut

maybe just add on top of it instead of removing. your hens will mix it all together over time and it should just add to your nice compost I used a base of arborist wood chips from a local pile and then added more as it broke down. I saved 7 bags of dry leaves from a neighbour so over the winter as things got wet or snowy, I'd dump a bag of dry leaves in there. Just finished my last bag and the run is looking like it's going to be amazing compost when I dig it out late in March and restart the wood chip layer. I love compost! Edit to add- I do have one feather footed bird and I mean, chickens step in poop all the time but they do seem to groom it off at some point. But yes, chicken feet are always a little muddy in winter if they jump up on your jeans (like mine do..)

 

[Rick&Chris]

maybe just add on top of it instead of removing. your hens will mix it all together over time and it should just add to your nice compost I used a base of arborist wood chips from a local pile and then added more as it broke down. I saved 7 bags of dry leaves from a neighbour so over the winter as things got wet or snowy, I'd dump a bag of dry leaves in there. Just finished my last bag and the run is looking like it's going to be amazing compost when I dig it out late in March and restart the wood chip layer. I love compost! Edit to add- I do have one feather footed bird and I mean, chickens step in poop all the time but they do seem to groom it off at some point. But yes, chicken feet are always a little muddy in winter if they jump up on your jeans (like mine do..)

There’s a LOT of sand in there now. I was using wood chips before and got away from it because their feet were gross and I couldn’t clean the poop out.

Oddly, they aren’t picking or scratching in the sand either.

 

[perkolator]

Well, I am one that got sucked in. Oh well, now I need to figure out how to remove 3 scoops of sand that I had put in by a neighbor/landscaper (I can’t ask them to remove it now). My husband is not going to be happy - may take a year, but we’ll get it done. Should have followed my gut

I would just leave the sand and toss wood chips over it. Over time the chickens will just mix up the sand into the wood chips and you'll probably have a really nice material to use for gardening

 

[Imataken]

My run is 20 by 30ft fully enclosed with metal roof I use woodchips and toss in my dried leaves in the fall. I always have a good thick 6 or 7 inches of woodchips at all times. No flies no smell. I do go in with a poopy scooper every few days but really with them scratching and digging they do a really good job at turning it over and run a rake through every few days. I think it really depends on how many chickens in the space. For me I have 3 I never have more than 5 so with it being 20 by 30ft they have so much space there isn't that much poop that I ever see. Never have a problem with dirt chicken feet. They have a large dust bath area and tons of perches and stumps in the run. I think the best thing is hemp bedding which I use in the duck and chicken coops with both runs being so large it would require tons of hemp bedding. How thick of a layer of woodchips did you have at all times? How many chickens? What's the size of the run? That's important

 

[maryhbrock]

I've had sand for three years in my SoCal coop and it's been great. The poop desiccates, I use a cat litter scoop in the roost, and a rake in the run. But these last couple months of downpours have really soaked the sand. I did a couple things to test - on one side, I raked in a large bag of hemp shavings, and that has been great! No dirty feet at all, and the sand stays loose. On another side I put down excelsior pads meant for swamp coolers to keep the girls up an off the wet sand. The huge pads cost $7 and when they get gross I pull them out in one big piece and toss them. As soon as we dry out I will clean out everything and start with new sand for the summer. I never have a smell -except for after one sold week of rain before I added the above mentioned amendments.

 

[Rick&Chris]

My run is 20 by 30ft fully enclosed with metal roof I use woodchips and toss in my dried leaves in the fall. I always have a good thick 6 or 7 inches of woodchips at all times. No flies no smell. I do go in with a poopy scooper every few days but really with them scratching and digging they do a really good job at turning it over and run a rake through every few days. I think it really depends on how many chickens in the space. For me I have 3 I never have more than 5 so with it being 20 by 30ft they have so much space there isn't that much poop that I ever see. Never have a problem with dirt chicken feet. They have a large dust bath area and tons of perches and stumps in the run. I think the best thing is hemp bedding which I use in the duck and chicken coops with both runs being so large it would require tons of hemp bedding. How thick of a layer of woodchips did you have at all times? How many chickens? What's the size of the run? That's important

Thank you! My enclosed run is 18' x 7' and it is covered (still gets wet from the sides during heavy down pours). When I can let them out (supervised) they have access to a much larger fenced in area but it is open to hawks so I have to be watchful. I had pretty thick layer of woodchips and Koop Klean (chopped straw with PDZ) and I added to it as needed. I recently pulled all of that out and added the sand.

I have 6 hens and 1 rooster in this coop.

Where do you get your hemp bedding?

 

[Rick&Chris]

I've had sand for three years in my SoCal coop and it's been great. The poop desiccates, I use a cat litter scoop in the roost, and a rake in the run. But these last couple months of downpours have really soaked the sand. I did a couple things to test - on one side, I raked in a large bag of hemp shavings, and that has been great! No dirty feet at all, and the sand stays loose. On another side I put down excelsior pads meant for swamp coolers to keep the girls up an off the wet sand. The huge pads cost $7 and when they get gross I pull them out in one big piece and toss them. As soon as we dry out I will clean out everything and start with new sand for the summer. I never have a smell -except for after one sold week of rain before I added the above mentioned amendments.

Sorry about all your rain. It's been a crazy winter.

What kind of sand do you use?

 

[NameIwish]

concrete It was just put in yesterday - it’s still wet, hard and not really drying on the surface.

Concrete can be finished with a very smooth (even slick) finish (then sealed to make it even 'sliker.' But it is too late for that now. BTW, when you pour a slab (for runs or walkways or Hoover Dams) it has to set and (as I've long been advised) should be kept MOIST (wet) for a few days to help it reach max hardness.

Not clear on the sand - but wood chips and mulch work well. with a thick layer in the run, you will have to clean less frequently and put the old mulch or chips in you compost bins.

"their feet were always filthy"

Well, yes, compared to yours. But they are chickens, not modern humans. What do you think wild birds walk upon 'out there?" ;

 

[maryhbrock]

Sorry about all your rain. It's been a crazy winter.

What kind of sand do you use?

I had a picture on my post....it's this kind...