Sand in the run?

[MamaJohnson]

I've read here how some people put sand in their runs. Wondering why you do that? Is it something I should consider?

 

[ljf24]

i read somewhere it is easy to clean out poo and its great for drainage

 

[Hypnotist_Collectr]

I plan on doing it. I have seen people say they rake it daily, or clean it with a kitty pooper scooper.

 

[consdrs]

I live in the PNW believe me sand is absolutely necessary here it rains so much. It's easy to stir, rake and till. its not really sand any more its more of a sand and dirt mix along with rocks... we have a lot of rocks where I live. chickens dig a lot! I just made a new run and will be putting sand in that also. Yes I would consider it.

Connie

 

[Lach Cnoc Farm]

we put sand in ours because we had access to TONS of free sand bags when we had all the flooding...

we really liked the idea at first and it worked out great for a while, but then it just started to get really yucky, even with raking it out and hosing it down. we also have a covered run though so it idnt get washed off with the rain.

i think i am going to go with just dirt/grass next time and if that fails me i will do something different.

 

[okieroy]

My girls really, really like to dust bathe in the sand. My younger birds use the sand in their crops easily. Also, it really is easier to clean up poo. And a 50 lb bag of sand is only 2 to 3 dollars.

 

[MamaJohnson]

OK. So is this gross? My run is just dirt that...

I don't ever rake or clean up poop out of. The run isn't covered, and gets "washed" (actually I guess the proper term there is "muddied") by rain, and I've kinda just thought that the poop would absorb into the dirt, break down naturally... Am I sounding like an idiot?

I believe that clean = health though, so really, should I have sand in the run then, and be "pooper scooping" it regularly? Or does anyone out there have a dirt run like me that works OK too?

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Where I live, the soil is 99% sand. So I didn't have a choice. But the sand dries quickly and rakes up easily. The girls like to dust bathe in it.

 

[chickcritty]

I started out with grass in my run which soon turned to dirt

. I added some sand and now I have a mixture of sand and dirt. It is super easy to keep clean by raking and the chickens love to dig and dust bathe in it.

 

[briana1975]

I have a grass and dirt run. It works except for the low spots. The chicken like the low spots under the coop, nice and cool. But when it rains it puddles up and then stinks. This fall after the crops are out we will be getting sand out of the sandy spot in the field and putting it in the low spots. I do rake the chicken yard once a month.