Sand on wood floor in chicken coop

[Farmgirl1878]

Not sure if we have fire ants in Southern Ohio, but regarding other types of ants, not yet. I’m in the middle of 167 acres of hardwood tree farm, so we definitely have plenty of bugs. Nothing in the sand yet.

 

[medicineman2]

I have vinyl rolled out on top of my wood floor. I use a flat head shovel and a broom to clean out the droppings. I clean weekly, but it can go longer. Except for stains, the coop is clean! It never hurts to try sand or wood shavings on vinyl or wood. Go with what you like best.

I'm going with vinyl as well but was planning on putting something on top (sand maybe)... do you do just vinyl by itself?

 

[shessowitte]

OK. I have been pondering a solution to my messy coop floor. It is a wood floor...I cover it in wood shavings. I use the deep litter method. It has worked pretty good over the years but I am wondering if there is a better way. WHAT IF I just put a layer of clean builders sand onto the wood floor? The coop has been dry for 10 years with no water leaks. I am thinking that it might be easier to just clean out the chicken poop by raking it out from the top of the sand rather than by having to shovel out all the wood shavings and poop every 4 - 5 months or so. But, would like your opinion and advice on that before I try it. Anyone???

I’ve had my chickens on a mixture of washed construction sand and granulated zeolite (Sweet PDZ) for one year and I love it. The zeolite keeps it dry even in the rainy winter months and it’s as easy to clean as scooping kitty litter.

 

[medicineman2]

I’ve had my chickens on a mixture of washed construction sand and granulated zeolite (Sweet PDZ) for one year and I love it. The zeolite keeps it dry even in the rainy winter months and it’s as easy to clean as scooping kitty litter.

How often do you change all that out?

 

[Farmgirl1878]

How often do you change all that out?

No need to change it out if you scoop every day. I have a sieve that I use periodically on the sand on the poop decks. Every couple of months during the summer and fall, then once over the winter. It stays remarkably clean.

 

[shessowitte]

How often do you change all that out?

Once a year I replace it completely. Along the way I’ve added sand and Sweet PDZ, because you do lose a bit along the way.....whatever sticks to the poo.

 

[shessowitte]

No need to change it out if you scoop every day. I have a sieve that I use periodically on the sand on the poop decks. Every couple of months during the summer and fall, then once over the winter. It stays remarkably clean.

I was thinking it may not be necessary to completely replace it, but I decided just to push the old stuff out into the run. I figured I would err on the side of caution and it will still be useful in the run.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Hmm. I am starting to consider sand.. but I would never use it in a nest box! I was definitely going to use it on the poop deck... But isn't it softer on their feet to use shavings on coop floor?

 

[-BOGGS-]

I used 12x12 vinyl peel and stick tiles for under my birds roost..makes cleaning a breeze

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Hmm. I am starting to consider sand.. but I would never use it in a nest box! I was definitely going to use it on the poop deck... But isn't it softer on their feet to use shavings on coop floor?

Not necessarily. My chickens jump from the top poop deck to the floor (about four feet) all the time with no problems. No one has had any injuries or developed bumblefoot.

And as far as having sand in the nest boxes, the eggs are clean and dry. Out of the hundreds of eggs so far, there have only been two that had poop on them to the point that I threw them out (and that was the day that someone actually pooped in the nest box, not dragged in poop on her feet). A couple times a week, one might have a bit of poop or, more often, mud from outside, but not any more often than that. The girls just dig a nest and go on about their business. I’ve tried shavings, but they just kicked them out of the nest box to get to the sand underneath.