Sand on wood floor in chicken coop

[ButtonquailGirl14]

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.

thanks!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Love having clean eggs every day! (The speckles on the little brown egg are not poop, she’s still trying to figure out the “paint shop!”)

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Love having clean eggs every day! (The speckles on the little brown egg are not poop, she’s still trying to figure out the “paint shop!”)

View attachment 1714993

they can't brood on it though.. correct?

 

[Fishkeeper]

I'm sure they'd try if they went broody. It might leach some of the heat away, though, so probably not the best substrate for that.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

they can't brood on it though.. correct?

None of my girls has gone broody yet, but I think I’d move her to the smaller “juvie jail” coop filled with pine shavings anyway.

If you wanted to keep a broody hen in a sand-filled nest box in chilly weather, I’d probably put a seed starter mat under the sand. Or add lots of pine shavings to her nest box.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

None of my girls has gone broody yet, but I think I’d move her to the smaller “juvie jail” coop filled with pine shavings anyway.

If you wanted to keep a broody hen in a sand-filled nest box in chilly weather, I’d probably put a seed starter mat under the sand. Or add lots of pine shavings to her nest box.

thanks!

 

[Mtnboomer]

When I lived in GA fire ants were a real concern and I did find them in my kids sandbox on occasion. I was told that sand was looser soil and easier to excavate which is why ant colonies are often found there. Just passing the word, don't know if there is any truth to it, but it does make sense.

 

[shessowitte]

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?

I use astroturf in the nest boxes. The sand keeps the nesting boxes cleaner because it cleans their feet a little by the time they hop into the boxes. Shavings are an organic material, so it is easier for bacteria to multiply. The sand is a natural desiccant, so the poo turns into dry clumps. Adding the zeolite to sand boosts absorbency and neutralizes ammonia. It’s soft like walking on the beach.

 

[shessowitte]

None of my girls has gone broody yet, but I think I’d move her to the smaller “juvie jail” coop filled with pine shavings anyway.

If you wanted to keep a broody hen in a sand-filled nest box in chilly weather, I’d probably put a seed starter mat under the sand. Or add lots of pine shavings to her nest box.

Yep, sand is too cold for broody I think. I use astroturf and have a separate little broody house for mothering events.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Thanks!