sand or for run?

[lindy]

so i have a large run and my coop in it. there are large rocks but it turns into a pond and muck in the winter when it rains alot. so thinking i can add sand? or what should i do? its not muddy when it quits raining for a few days and drains well, just dont want to ruin the draining thing. but they arent ducks and dont enjoy the water. It makes the coop yukky since their feet are so muddy they track it everywhere.
- i am able to buy sand, fine gravel, road rock, shavings, pea gravel locally.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello!

I would say that sand would be a good idea, but only enough to cover the dirt to prevent it from becoming muddy. Too much sand might cause their food to get buried. If they are in the coop/run 24/7 then I would not suggest using sand at all, but if they are let out regularly then it would be just fine. They need hard and solid surfaces to walk, scratch, and forage on so that their claws and beaks don’t get too long. If they aren’t let out, then I personally wouldn’t use sand since they probably won’t come out too much on rainy days anyway.

An alternative to sand could be planting grass in their run to keep the dirt in place and prevent it from becoming muddy when it rains. It would take longer than putting sand down instead, but it might give you the best of both worlds. That’s an option, but it’s your choice.

I hope this was some help!

 

[lindy]

thank you, not big enough for grass and i dont have alot of extra water. Yes they are let you at least three times a week.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Sand may work well for you then! My only advice would be not to do too much

 

[rosemarythyme]

Have you considered deep litter with a base of chunky wood chips? Even if you don't want compost for the garden, deep litter is ideal for wetter climates since the chips provide drainage and aeration.

Gravel is not recommended for any run. Hard on a chicken's feet, and although it provides some drainage, it doesn't allow poop to compost down the way that organic litter would, so you could end up with odor issues as poop gets washed down deeper.

 

[aart]

Have you considered deep litter with a base of chunky wood chips? Even if you don't want compost for the garden, deep litter is ideal for wetter climates since the chips provide drainage and aeration.

Gravel is not recommended for any run. Hard on a chicken's feet, and although it provides some drainage, it doesn't allow poop to compost down the way that organic litter would, so you could end up with odor issues as poop gets washed down deeper.

Ditto All Dat^^^

 

[lindy]

i can get sawdust just didnt know if it would work better then the fine gravel/sand. the gound is clay but the area was leveled then put about a foot of base rock.

 

[Tahai]

I would avoid sand in run that is exposed to the elements. It makes a mess of your chickens' feet if it freezes. Also, if you have a clay soil and you mix in sand and lime (chicken poo)....and then it bakes in the sun on a hot day....

I like the deep litter method for my run. I do use coarse sand in my coop.

 

[lindy]

ok so sounds like i can put shavings/sawdust in the run, do i have to scoop it out or can it just degrade eventually?

 

[rosemarythyme]

ok so sounds like i can put shavings/sawdust in the run, do i have to scoop it out or can it just degrade eventually?

I really recommend mixing in other components like wood chips, garden trimmings - the key is having a mix of types and sizes of organic matter, to allow for drainage and composting of poop.

Shavings just hold water. Sawdust is probably even worse than that. They can be used in conjunction with other materials, but alone they'd just pack down and form an anaerobic environment and need to be replaced regularly. You can try it of course, maybe it'll work for you, but if you start having odor or mud issues you'll know it's not working, and it will need to be remedied at that time.