Sand Or No Sand?

Mix some Ag Lime with your shavings to help control the odors.
If it stinks, you may need more ventilation too

 

We started using sand in the run and coop during the summer. It's really helped with the odor, especially since we live in the hot, humid south.

Cleaning the coop has been quite easy as the sand tends to dry the droppings (which can be fairly liquid after giving chickens goodies such as pumpkin).

Impaction has not been an issue with us.

Gail

 

Same things a GG. I've not seen the chicken eat to much sand. They seem to know when to quit and what to eat. They were giving the pea gravel the devil for a while and just quit. Just trust the chickens to know.

 

I'm with the others above...changed to sand and it was awesome..but I do have to poop scoop it more than the deep littler I had...but it is super easy...I sprinkle DE around and it also helps dry it out and not smell...super easy to clean and it looks fresh and new every time...my girls now also dust bath in the run area as well...

 

Do you use poop trays under the roosts? I do, and it's very easy to clean them out every morning. I use plastic boot trays. I just take them over to the composter and dump/scrape out the contents. A quick hose down, and the trays go back into the coop clean.

There are no odors in the coop because there is no accumulated poop in there, either. Sometimes the compost bin gets a bit stinky if I've added too much moisture, but I can correct that by adding some dry material.

 

Even my new born chicks can tell the difference between sand and feed. Never have a problem with sand in the many years I've used it. I absolutely love sand but we live in a low humidity climate so can't say what it's like in other areas though even in the rainy season it is great! No mud!

 

ive been thinking about switching too. do you guys use fine sand or rocky stuff. and in the winter doesnt the sand get supper cold for their feet

 

I tried general use sand sold in 40 lbs. bags at home depot.Had wee pebbles in them. I did not like sand because my coop had a nasty ordor despite constant scooping.I dumped the sand and went back to pine shavings.Try it and see if you like it. I may try it again,but sand in one corner only.

 

elmo......with the sand you don't need the poop board. They sort of over kill. The purpose of sand is to clean it out easily.