Sand in the Coop?

[love4mychickens]

Hello, I have a coop built for 20-30 chickens and was considering switching to sand in the coop instead of pine shavings. Of course i will stick to hay or shavings for the nesting boxes, but as for the rest of the coop what are y'alls opinions? I heard it is easier to clean and is less expensive. But I just wanted to hear some more opinions, thankyou.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello, I have a coop built for 20-30 chickens and was considering switching to sand in the coop instead of pine shavings. Of course i will stick to hay or shavings for the nesting boxes, but as for the rest of the coop what are y'alls opinions? I heard it is easier to clean and is less expensive. But I just wanted to hear some more opinions, thankyou.

IMO, poop boards filled with sand/PDZ under the roosts that are cleaned daily and pine shavings on the main floor of the coop with chickens that are let out of the coop early morning is the way to go. My chickens have been in their new digs with this management system for over a month and it is as clean and fresh smelling as the day they moved in.

 

[jreardon1918]

We have a small coop for 6 chickens. Poop boards with pdz. Skipped the spring clean as the shavings didn't need to be replaced. YMMV

 

[jrheger1776]

I have been using sand for two years. Love it. Easy to clean. During winter I do put straw down. My girls love it. Added benefit in our area, when they can’t get out do to weather they dust bath in the coop.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

My coop, nest boxes, poop decks, and run are all sand. I’d never have anything else as we are in a high heat, ultra high humidity area of southern Ohio. Love it, and the flockers do too! Easy to clean, inexpensive, no need for grit, dustbathing heaven, and I get sand mixed into the compost heap to help break down my clay soil. Double-plus goodness!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Make sure you get the natural, washed, coarse, river sand - not the construction or play sand.

Natural, coarse river sand

• Farmgirl1878
• Jul 15, 2018

 

[WhoDatChick]

I use play sand in the coop... scoop it out daily which takes about three minutes.. love it! So much better and fresher than the deep litter pine shavings... especially for the hot sticky summers!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Orrrr, if you don’t like to bend over (like me), you can buy this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000DZXGLW/?tag=backy-20

 

[WhoDatChick]

Orrrr, if you don’t like to bend over (like me), you can buy this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000DZXGLW/?tag=backy-20

There’s no bending involved with mine.. the coop is waste level.. and the smaller holes work better with sand.. and a cat litter scoop does not work.. too much of the small poop falls through ... I think the one I use is for a fish tank

 

[love4mychickens]

Thankyou all for your help, I will definitely invest in some natural sand for my chickens!