Sand vs ?

[Doublete]

My chicks are still in the brooder section of the coop but I am going to purchase HC and reinforce their run as well as get some wood chips
To put down out there this week.

Now here’s my dilemma with the bedding/floor of the inside of the coop. It is large. Walk in.
But it’s at the bottom of a steep hill- I have stairs to get to it. My field is too wet to drive my truck in because apparently I live in the rainforest instead of PA. So whatever I put down on my wood floors I need in bags.. POSSIBLY would be able to get my lawn tractor and cart to it but I’m not sure.
Does contractor sand come in bags? That’s what I would really like to use ideally... but I haven’t the foggiest how to get it physically in my coop.

 

[Celticdragonfly]

Hm, I want to hear the answer on this - because I'm thinking about sand, too, but this is in a backyard, I can't drive a truck into there.

 

[RoosterML]

My chicks are still in the brooder section of the coop but I am going to purchase HC and reinforce their run as well as get some wood chips
To put down out there this week.

Now here’s my dilemma with the bedding/floor of the inside of the coop. It is large. Walk in.
But it’s at the bottom of a steep hill- I have stairs to get to it. My field is too wet to drive my truck in because apparently I live in the rainforest instead of PA. So whatever I put down on my wood floors I need in bags.. POSSIBLY would be able to get my lawn tractor and cart to it but I’m not sure.
Does contractor sand come in bags? That’s what I would really like to use ideally... but I haven’t the foggiest how to get it physically in my coop.

Yes sand comes in bags. For one kids play sand, all purpose sand along with Masons sand.Home Depot or Lowes should have it available. Depending on how much you need it would be a lot cheaper to have it delivered by the yard with a dump truck from a quarry or landscape supply place near you. After they dump it you can move it with 5 gallon buckets. It’s not like the sand goes bad and you will eventually need to replenish and/or replace as time goes by.

 

[Doublete]

Yes sand comes in bags. For one kids play sand, all purpose sand along with Masons sand.Home Depot or Lowes should have it available. Depending on how much you need it would be a lot cheaper to have it delivered by the yard with a dump truck from a quarry or landscape supply place near you. After they dump it you can move it with 5 gallon buckets. It’s not like the sand goes bad and you will eventually need to replenish and/or replace as time goes by.

Wouldn’t I need to cover it? I guess that’s a silly question... I just wouldn’t want it to be wet when I put it in the coop... I also am not sure I have a place I could drop a load of sand... My 14 acres is very much devoted to horse and all things horse projects lol

 

[lutherpug]

It’s not like the sand goes bad and you will eventually need to replenish and/or replace as time goes by.

True but if you decide you don’t like it, it is a major pain to get rid of. Speaking from experience here.

 

[Chickengene]

My chicks are still in the brooder section of the coop but I am going to purchase HC and reinforce their run as well as get some wood chips
To put down out there this week.

Now here’s my dilemma with the bedding/floor of the inside of the coop. It is large. Walk in.
But it’s at the bottom of a steep hill- I have stairs to get to it. My field is too wet to drive my truck in because apparently I live in the rainforest instead of PA. So whatever I put down on my wood floors I need in bags.. POSSIBLY would be able to get my lawn tractor and cart to it but I’m not sure.
Does contractor sand come in bags? That’s what I would really like to use ideally... but I haven’t the foggiest how to get it physically in my coop.

If you can tote bags, could you not tote a pair of five gallon buckets? Much cheaper by the scoop than by the bag, and free buckets are readily available.
Get four or six and a partner filling the buckets while you tote'em up to the coop.

 

[Ted Brown]

From what I have read on this forum sand inside a coop gets mixed reviews. My impression is most folks use wood chips, straw or some analogous materials (hemp, etc.), some employ poop boards to reduce the need to replace the bedding frequently.

When you add in the physical constraints of your property and the ongoing need to bring heavy sand to the coop and then dispose of it I would suggest doing yourself a favour and use the light stuff. If your goal is to provide the sand as a dust bath inside the coop, do that as a separate smaller space.

 

[Michael Propst]

I used sand for years but a couple months ago at my local landscape store I came across a product called PrimeraOne Field Conditioner. I loved the consistency of it and bought 4 bags to try it. Have had it in my run for 2 months now and will never go back to sand. It is a bit more expensive but to me well worth it. It is also absorbent. I actually contacted the manufacture to ensure it was safe around chickens and a rep from the company spoke with me for a while about the product and even thou not its original intent felt a chicken run is a great place to use it.

 

[aart]

Now here’s my dilemma with the bedding/floor of the inside of the coop. It is large.....Does contractor sand come in bags? That’s what I would really like to use ideally

How large, in feet by feet. Pics would be great.

What you bed your coop floor with depends on how you plan to manage manure.
This is about 'cleaning' but covers the big picture:
-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.

-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.

-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.

-Runs have semi-deep litter, never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.

-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.

 

[OFChickens]

I used sand for years but a couple months ago at my local landscape store I came across a product called PrimeraOne Field Conditioner. I loved the consistency of it and bought 4 bags to try it. Have had it in my run for 2 months now and will never go back to sand. It is a bit more expensive but to me well worth it. It is also absorbent. I actually contacted the manufacture to ensure it was safe around chickens and a rep from the company spoke with me for a while about the product and even thou not its original intent felt a chicken run is a great place to use it.

I’m going to check this out. Thanks! I’ve been using sand and have loved it...until this very soggy wet spring, with a new snowfall just last week to “help” keep all wet.