Sand in the Run?

[MoNelly]

Anybody have any problems with neighborhood cats using the sand as a big litter box? We let the chickens free range all day, with the coop/run door open so they can get in to eat, drink, and lay eggs. I'm interested in switching to sand from hay, but we have the occasional feline visitor in our backyard and I know they like to use the kid's sandbox as an outhouse if it's not covered.

 

[c2chicks]

The cats in my neighborhood are afraid of my chickens

, it hasn't been a problem here. I love the sand.

 

[backyardcelia]

we're only keeping chickens for 5 months now, but they and we love the sand. it was recommended by our local 'chicken guru' (he definitely doesn't know we call him that), and so far, so great.... if raked out regularly there is virtually zero smell & when need be, you add a little more and it's suddenly 'like new' (in the hot winter months we were even hosing it out, or at least the ramp,etc). and it's easy to shovel out a spot if need be. AND it looks lovely! like the ladies are at te beach! i like a combination of the play sand and the landscaping sand... between a bit of hay, some chips from each day, some vegetation and tracked in wood chips from the path, they seem to always have enough dry to dust bathe in. if there is a down side, i am yet to discover it it is wet and hard from the snow coming in and the freezing weather, but tomorrow i will give the ladies a small new layer.

 

[MoNelly]

Contemplating having sand delivered. I'm in Northern California and it is very wet here now. I suspect the sand would
arrive wet. Is it better to wait until dry season to put it down?

 

[nbchickfarming]

We had problem s with smell so we put 1 inch of limestone on our cay soil then sand then straw. Works great in covered run.

The uncovered run has leaves on top bare ground and its messy. We are thinking about concrete floor then leaves.

We also moved the coop to higher ground.

 

[RozyJ]

The reason your sand gets stinky is anaerobic bacteria in the soil. This is very common with heavy /clay soil and the sand layer reduces the  oxygen in the soil even more.  Tilling in (non renewable) peat moss or  (renewable) coco coir or a few times a year will help, especially if you can dry out the soil.  Tilling in the sand will make it worse. You can relocate the coop to higher ground or use mulch instead of sand. We are using crushed filbert (nut) shells this year.

We dug a 18" deep trench around the perimeter of our shed  and filled it with rocks and gravel, but it only takes a few years to the silt to return and soil in the area is starting to be saturated in the winter again.

We used a product (enzyme?) to treat the stinky soil where water dumps out of our sump pump into the yard and it worked but I can't find it on the internet now., if I find it I will post the name later.

 

I've been told by my chicken breeder NEVER to use coco coir(sadly after is bought lots to go in my run thinking it would be a good idea)- he actually wouldn't sell me the birds if I was planning to use it because it clogs up their cob and can kill them. He's had several need surgery to get the stuff out...