Sand or dirt?

[Lomcewen]

So I’m a first time chicken owner and we are working on building a run. We are wondering if we should use sand, dirt, or both. I’ve tried to google and do some research but there’s conflicting options. We are in Massachusetts so I know sand is better for wet weather but I also read sometimes chickens mistake it for feed or it can clump up. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you all!

 

[neo71665]

If it aint gonna turn into a mud pit I prefer dirt as the base and scatter wood chips on top.

 

[Acre4Me]

Sand is usually not preferred in wet or very cold areas.

keep the run as dry as possible. Roofed is great. Plastic in winter to keep blowing snow out (usually only needed on one side that gets the main winter winds).

we have dirt covered in a large amount of chipped wood. In one very open area we added peat moss, sand, sawdust, and wood ash, for a very light and fluffy mix. The chickens do like this area to dust bath.

 

[room onthebroom]

Hi, welcome!

I live in a really hot, dry location & I prefer sand.

Don’t hesitate to try one or the other & see if it works for you. You can always change it later. Maybe you’ll find that straw or something else works better for you. All of us have different housing & climate situations & need to go through the trial & error period to see what fits. It’ll be a fun adventure figuring it all out.

Let us know what you decided to use & how you like it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sand is usually not preferred in wet or very cold areas.

x2. Sand generally works better if it stays dry, so it's a good choice in more arid climates.

"Dirt" isn't my first choice but I suppose it depends on what kind of dirt you have and how wet/dry it is. In my wet climate, a dirt run is simply sticky, smelly mud, and that's not good for chickens or keepers.

IMO deep litter is ideal for wet environments provided that your run location has good drainage, as it allows excess rain/snow melt to drain through and the organic mix helps compost down the poop to eliminate odor. There is not a single type of litter that will work well in a run with bad drainage.

 

[gotpoodle]

I'm in North Central Mass, use sand and love it! I use washed construction sand (not sandbox sand, which compacts when wet)...I just scoop my coop and run with a kitty litter scoop, and it's done in minutes! No mess, no smell, no flies, and it drains and dries quickly after it rains. My chickens never mistook it for food, but the grains are all different sizes, so if they eat some, it's fine, no need for extra grit. They also love to dust bathe in it when it's warm. To me it's the perfect substrate!