Sand or shavings ?

[KellyAndMark]

We have been using shavings since day 1, I like to keep a really clean coop and find we're going through a LOT of shavings, especially since we added two ducks to the flock . I find mold in the odd places as well. I've done a bit of research on sand, easier to clean, doesn't mold , dries quickly, grinds down their toe nails, good for dust baths etc ,

We are thinking about switching but are still on the fence !

Thoughts ?!

 

[chicmom]

I use shavings inside the coop, and sand in the outside chicken run. I love it! I bet since you've got ducks, they are very messy and probably are splashing in their water and such.....Which is causing your problems. Sand would be wonderful for that situation.

 

[CliffB]

I've been doing sand for the last week with my chicks and it works great. It provides an endless source of grit for them. When water spills on it it just gets wet and dries out which with the use of PDZ is a very quick simple process. My water jug leaked out a few days ago so i just took my rake and mixed the wet sand up with the dry sand and PDZ and within a few hours the whole area was dry again. The birds love to scratch in it and kick sand around which is helping keep their feet cleaner and like you said filing down their nails. Also i caught my little Sizzle Rooster taking a dust bath in it a few days ago. They love laying out on the sand under the heat lamp like they are at the beach and when they get really chilly they all go into one of the low nesting boxes together and huddle up in the straw. I am loving it so far.

 

[MrsBrooke]

My husband and I are deciding which material to use in our new coop, too. It seems like sand would work best for us.

I know that sand up North gets really chilly... Throw some hay or straw over it during the winter to keep it a little warmer.

Other than that, from what I hear, it's like kitty litter for chickens.

MrsB

 

[CliffB]

So far my only complaint with the sand is more a gardening problem than anything. When i go to sift out the poop with my home made sifter i am getting a lot of the larger rocks which makes it tough to dump the poop in my mulching box without dumping lots of little gravel in it also. Luckily i don't garden much so it's not a huge bother.

 

[aart]

I wouldn't use sand inside a coop in a cold climate.

The ducks are the problem, they a make a mess with their water, not a good thing for inside a chicken coop.
Sand wouldn't help because it just holds the water if there's no place for it to drain away.....and mold could grow in sand.

I don't have a solution but I think most folks keep the ducks water outside....maybe ask/search about how to house ducks with chicken over in the duck forum.

The advanced search function is the best way to search a topic here, imo, here's a sample:
advanced search>titles only>housing ducks with chickens

 

[NickyKnack]

Help! Is it OK for chicks to eat PDZ? My Silkie chick are picking it out of the sand. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[CliffB]

Yes. Completely safe.

 

[CliffB]

Help! Is it OK for chicks to eat PDZ? My Silkie chick are picking it out of the sand. Any help is greatly appreciated.

"Chickens - For more info and application directions check out our poultry page.
Chickens have a lot of benefits, but they are by no means the neatest of barnyard animals. In fact their coops, hen houses and pens can get really stinky. Sweet PDZ is the answer to your smelly, dropping filled coops. Sprinkle Sweet PDZ liberally where the birds make their mess. Reapply regularly on the most frequently used roosting areas, and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy, safe and pleasant smelling chicken house. Sweet PDZ also makes it much easier to remove the droppings when cleaning out the chicken’s house. As an added benefit Granular Sweet PDZ can be safely eaten by the birds and used by them to grind their food. Clean smelling chickens = healthy chickens."

 

[NickyKnack]

[COLOR=009966]"Chickens[/COLOR] - For more info and application directions check out our [COLOR=006666]poultry page[/COLOR].
Chickens have a lot of benefits, but they are by no means the neatest of barnyard animals.  In fact their coops, hen houses and pens can get really stinky. Sweet  PDZ is the answer to your smelly, dropping filled coops. Sprinkle Sweet PDZ liberally where the birds make their mess. Reapply regularly on the most frequently used roosting areas, and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy, safe and pleasant smelling chicken house. Sweet PDZ also makes it much easier to remove the droppings when cleaning out the chicken’s house. As an added benefit Granular Sweet PDZ can be safely eaten by the birds and used by them to grind their food. Clean smelling chickens = healthy chickens."

Thank you for the info. I am so relieved.