Sand Vs. what else for run?

[Littlebitshadow]

Hi everyone.
First time chicken mama. I have 8 chickens right now that are 2 months old.
In our chicken coop we are using hemp bedding (with some PDZ and herbs sprinkled in), and I like it so far.

But I am trying to figure out what to do for their run. It’s a 8x8 run that is covered, but occasionally gets wet with rain. I do live in Upstate NY. I let them peck at the grass for a bit and then I ended up just throwing down the rest of the pine shavings and hemp bedding I had in there. I also had a few bags of sand I put down in there. But I am seeing so much back and forth about sand being bad, but then pine shavings, mulch, whatever the alternative being bad too.
What’s everyone’s pros and cons if you use sand or something different? Any serious medical issues from using one and switching to another?!
I do have a tire with wood ash in it for a dust bath and in the few spots I’ve laid down sand they seem to enjoy laying in the most.

For reference, I will let them outside of the run when we are home and fully outside.

Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I personally like deep litter. Throw a bit of everything together, and add as necessary. Grass clippings, mulch, fall leaves, pulled weeds, food scraps, hay sometimes, and anything else organic and safe for chickens. They turn it digging and searching for bugs and stuff.

Sand can work if it stays dry. You can sift out the droppings. It certainly is okay within the deep litter system. I would just add stuff to it along the way.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

You’ve already got the beginnings of deep litter started with the poop and hemp!

If you can, work up the existing soil (before it’s buried under the hemp and poop) with a garden fork. Nothing major or dramatic, just lift and aerate and fluff it up a bit if you can. Then add the leaves and mulch and all, as @oldhenlikesdogs wrote above, give it a final twist of the garden fork, and let it happen. Keep adding the poop and hemp. If it gets a bit smelly, add more dried stuff. The chickens should do the job of turning everything over to get it all composting.

This is how soil is actually made in Nature. I have deep litter in my run, and it smells good, like something I would smell walking through a healthy forest. Not “not too bad”, but good.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

To add: I don’t know where you live. If you are in an arid and generally hot region, sand should work. Members in the desert southwest and similar areas swear by it.

If you live in a temperate area (four seasons, rainfall, etc.) deep litter is generally better. Sand is great unless it can’t dry out, and then it gets really stinky. Deep litter becomes a living compost, creating wonderful soil amendments for the rest of your yard.

 

[Littlebitshadow]

You’ve already got the beginnings of deep litter started with the poop and hemp!

If you can, work up the existing soil (before it’s buried under the hemp and poop) with a garden fork. Nothing major or dramatic, just lift and aerate and fluff it up a bit if you can. Then add the leaves and mulch and all, as @oldhenlikesdogs wrote above, give it a final twist of the garden fork, and let it happen. Keep adding the poop and hemp. If it gets a bit smelly, add more dried stuff. The chickens should do the job of turning everything over to get it all composting.

This is how soil is actually made in Nature. I have deep litter in my run, and it smells good, like something I would smell walking through a healthy forest. Not “not too bad”, but good.

Thank you!!

 

[Littlebitshadow]

To add: I don’t know where you live. If you are in an arid and generally hot region, sand should work. Members in the desert southwest and similar areas swear by it.

If you live in a temperate area (four seasons, rainfall, etc.) deep litter is generally better. Sand is great unless it can’t dry out, and then it gets really stinky. Deep litter becomes a living compost, creating wonderful soil amendments for the rest of your yard.

I live in NY. So it fluctuates! Rain, snow, hot and humid. Trying to get these goof balls to dust bath. They’re a trip though and I think I’ll give it a shot