Sand run construction question..

[sparky00]

In building the run, and whether you do sand or deep litter, do you dig out the earth a few inches before placing the sand or litter, or do you just let the bottom boards contain the material. I plan on using 6-8" of sand, so thinking of digging out maybe 4" into the ground for the run? The area has good drainage, so no problems there. The run will be about 18' x 18'. Thoughts?

 

[cavemanrich]

Not sure of equipment you may have to perform the work.
Reality in numbers follows.
9 wheelbarrows per Yard. (average garden wheelbarrow 3cubic foot)
To remove what you stated, equals to 4 yards of soil. Then to replace with 8 inches of sand will require 8 yards of sand. 6 inches translates to 6 yards.
You may have the sand on your property area, and relocating soil is not a problem ether. Hopefully you have a Bobcat, or a large family with shovels to perform work.
My situation (if I was doing in my backyard) is of course different, so I personally would just frame off perimeter with treated 2 X 4 's and get 2 yards of sand. that would give me a 2 inch layer of sand.
Use course concrete sand for best results. Avoid masonry grade, or other fine particle sand.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I have a covered run and just added wood chips over the dirt periodically without digging anything out.

I’d add a bag, let the feathered excavators go to work... then a couple weeks added another, and so on... until eventually I have a nice base... it’s not deep deep, but 4” or so.

They have kicked a lot out because my boards along the bottom allow it, but in my case it’s beneficial to leave there

 

[aart]

added wood chips over the dirt periodically without digging anything out....I’d add a bag....

What kind of 'bagged' wood chips do you use?

 

[sparky00]

Not sure of equipment you may have to perform the work.
Reality in numbers follows.
9 wheelbarrows per Yard. (average garden wheelbarrow 3cubic foot)
To remove what you stated, equals to 4 yards of soil. Then to replace with 8 inches of sand will require 8 yards of sand. 6 inches translates to 6 yards.
You may have the sand on your property area, and relocating soil is not a problem ether. Hopefully you have a Bobcat, or a large family with shovels to perform work.
My situation (if I was doing in my backyard) is of course different, so I personally would just frame off perimeter with treated 2 X 4 's and get 2 yards of sand. that would give me a 2 inch layer of sand.
Use course concrete sand for best results. Avoid masonry grade, or other fine particle sand.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thank you for the reply! And yes - on some acreage and do have a tractor with bucket. I did have the coarse sand delivered the other day, so I am good there. Maybe I'll just scrape a few inches and use the 2x4's around the perimeter to give a little depth.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

What kind of 'bagged' wood chips do you use?

Mostly just standard pine bedding ... although I did try some called ‘ez pick’ or something... was shaped a bit different

 

[Jammy Dodger]

We have had washed sand in our run for a year now and it's worked out very good. Easy to clean with a homemade pick-up scoop rake covered with 1/2 in hardware cloth. Easy on the girls feet, cleans them off after a muddy day free ranging, a dust bathing area for days of confinement, and virtually no smell (8 hens) when picked up every couple of days. Ours is about 10 in. deep and turned over once a week with a shovel. The girls then have fun digging thru the disturbed sand . Definitely recommend washed sand . Got ours at the local gravel yard.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you dig a hole in a non-permeable soil like clay and put sand in it you have dug a bathtub. It will hold water along with the sand. If that soil is permeable it doesn't matter.

The advantage of sand is that it drains very well as long as the water has a place to drain to.

 

[aart]

Wet sand filled with pulverized poop will stink.
I'd go with aged ramial wood chippings.

 

[sparky00]

If you dig a hole in a non-permeable soil like clay and put sand in it you have dug a bathtub. It will hold water along with the sand. If that soil is permeable it doesn't matter.

The advantage of sand is that it drains very well as long as the water has a place to drain to.

Very good point!! Since our soil is semi-permeable, I will dig a test hole near the site, fill it with some of the sand and see how it does. We are suppose to get a few inches of snow tomorrow and Sunday, so will watch it in the coming week(s) to see how it drains/doesn't drain when the snow is melting.