Sand questions?

[newchick1358]

Ok sand sounds perfect for my run. right now it is almost always muddy, and sand clean up sounds nice but I have a few things I would like to know before I lug in sand.

1. What do you do with old sand when it needs to be replaced ( as I understand it needs to be about once a year)
2. will it wash away in the next rain storm and cove my yard in poop and sand?
3.can you use sand on top of plain old back yard dirt or do I have to put down something between the sand and the ground?
4. is it ok to have sand in your coop with kids around is the dust bad for them/ the chickens ( I'm talking 18 months to seven years old) we have a small back yard there is know keep the kids away from the chickens

any helpful hints would be greatly appreciated thank you so much everyone at BYC has been so helpful I'm so grateful. back yard chickens are unheard of in my town though I think we are starting a movement and I have no one local to turn to so all of you have been such a life saver me and my girls thank you.

 

[Jamco6000]

1. What do you do with old sand when it needs to be replaced ( as I understand it needs to be about once a year)
I plan on using it to fill low spots in the yard

2. will it wash away in the next rain storm and cove my yard in poop and sand?
If its elevated it will probably level out naturally over time. I would have a border of some sort. I use 2x4s

3.can you use sand on top of plain old back yard dirt or do I have to put down something between the sand and the ground?
I have mine over my back yard soil. No barrier other than chicken wire for digging predator protection.

4. is it ok to have sand in your coop with kids around is the dust bad for them/ the chickens ( I'm talking 18 months to seven years old)  we have a small back yard there is know keep the kids away from the chickens
It's heavily debated but you should be fine.the silica dust is what's harmful, get a coarser grit/all purposes and and you'll be fine.

 

[newchick1358]

Thank those are really helpful. I would love some more ideas of what to do with the old sand my back yard dose not need filling.
Thanks again for the help Jamco

 

[TalkALittle]

There's not really much you can do then, other than shovel it all up and cart it out of your yard. You'll probably have a tough time finding someone interested in taking poop laden sand though, unless they have someplace out of the way where they don't mind letting you dump it.

 

[newchick1358]

Ok well then that puts sand out o well

 

[jennifer0224]

I have heard a lot of people clean it and re use it. I don't know HOW, but maybe try a search, I have read this several times so I know it is done.