Sand?

[BlazeJester]

I put down approximately 1-2" of sand as my base (over clay substrate) and use wood shavings on top. The chickens laugh at the idea of having a "base" and "top" layer and do with it what they will (including burying their 12" off the ground waterer in shavings). I am a graduate student and do not have time to muck out the run every week, much less every day.

A friend of mine uses straw and has found it difficult to keep dry. Despite frequent rain, I have found myself dealing with many fewer issues after deciding on pine shavings. Ironically, we both end up wondering, "where'd all the poop go?" and bantam cochin connoisseur has nailed it - it dries and falls to dust (compost for my future garden!!!). I have no flies despite the sand.

Just my two cents after raising birds for twenty-five years. If you have a free source of sand it might be worth it, although that does not count your shoveling time. Otherwise, it cost a little too much and in my experience is not optimal for poultry bedding. I did try sand for quite a while and in the end chose to go back with pine shavings after gaining some experience. I will explain the reason I don't like sand as bedding for chickens. Think about it this way, the purpose of any bedding is to create an environment which will not harbor odors, fly larvae, flies and disease. The key to creating this environment is lower moisture content and that is where sand as a bedding fails. Likely, you will agree that if you stick your hand down into sand you will note it is cooler and slightly moist. The top layer of sand protects the lower layers of sand and holds moisture in. This is one of the problems with using sand as a bedding, not reducing moisture in the bedding. Remembering the purpose of any bedding is to create a dry environment, sand responds in just the opposite way. When bird feces lands on the sand, the sand in effect encases the feces preventing the feces from drying out quickly. Then when the bird steps on this sand encased fece pile it flattens out revealing preserved wet sticky feces which quickly adheres to their feet/feathers. Whereas if the feces had landed on wood shavings, the shavings would have immediately absorbed the moisture from the feces causing the feces to dry out. Using shavings creates a drier environment which reduces the flies, odor and disease possibilites. Some might say, "Well sand is great because you can take a cat litter scoop and scoop the feces out every day." I tried doing that everyday and trust me it gets very old scooping wet sticky poop out daily; I am not a high maintenance kind of guy. In my experience wood shavings do not require constant attendance, wood shavings are more absorbent, expel the moisture and dry the chicken feces out. That is the goal. When poop is dried out then when it is walked on it will turn to dust and disintegrate into the lower levels of the shavings.

 

[bantam cochin connoisseur]

One other reason I don't like sand as a bedding for chickens is the health risk. For clarification visit quikrete.com/PDFs/MSDS-B1-SandAndGravel.pdf

The document states regarding health risks:

"OSHA REGULATORY STATUS
This material is considered hazardous under the OSHA Hazard Communications Standard (29 CFR
1910.1200).

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS:
Inhalation:
a. Silicosis Respirable crystalline silica (quartz) can cause silicosis, a fibrosis (scarring) of the
lungs. Silicosis may be progressive; it may lead to disability and death.
b. Lung Cancer Crystalline silica (quartz) inhaled from occupational sources is classified as
carcinogenic to humans.
c. Tuberculosis Silicosis increases the risk of tuberculosis.
d. Autoimmune and Chronic Kidney Diseases Some studies show excess numbers of cases of
scleroderma, connective tissue disorders, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney diseases
and end-stage kidney disease in workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica.
e. Non-Malignant Respiratory Diseases (other than silicosis) Some studies show an increased
incidence in chronic bronchitis and emphysema in workers exposed to respirable crystalline
silica.

Chronic Effects: The adverse health effects -- silicosis, lung cancer, autoimmune and chronic
kidney diseases, tuberculosis, and non-malignant respiratory diseases-- are chronic effects.
Signs and Symptoms of Exposure: Generally, there are no signs or symptoms of exposure to
crystalline silica (quartz).
Medical Conditions Generally Aggravated by Exposure: The condition of individuals with lung
disease (e.g., bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) can be aggravated by
exposure.
See Section 11, Toxicological Information, for additional detail on potential adverse health effects."

Others may see no problem with a chicken living in an environment with a known carcinogen, crystalline silica. It is not optimal in my opinion.

 

[BButterfly]

The statement above me is the reason I'm afraid to make the switch over to sand. I love my the family too much to take the risk. Does play sand have the same risks associated with river sand?

 

[Chris09]

The statement above me is the reason I'm afraid to make the switch over to sand. I love my the family too much to take the risk. Does play sand have the same risks associated with river sand

You may want to stay away Diatomaceous Earth it has the same health warnings.

Sand is just fine.

Chris

 

[RedStarLady1207]

I had a container of sand at first as a 'dust bath' when the chickens were always confined to their coop and run area and I'll tell you, I cleaned the poop from that sand and the sand still was nasty stinky.

For my coop and run I use mini-flake kiln dried wood bedding that is also tripled sifted to remove dust. I don't put much down, about two inches. For two days I lightly rake out the poop which is dry as the bedding is super absorbent, and then even the 'picked' litter back out with a light fresh layer applied..

Every now and then it will be moist underneath a pile of roost droppings, but even most of the roost dropping just dry right up in the fine bedding.

I will follow this routine for several days and then I will just rake it all out to bare soil. Then I will treat the soil under the coop/run and surrounding chicken yard with Poultry Protector spray (using a fine mist sprayer), then a thin dusting of food grade DE on top of that, and then a fresh 1" to 2" layer of bedding. No smell, no bugs, no lice, clean eggs, clean feet, etc.

I pay $6.50 for a bale: America's Choice, Premium Bedding, Mini-Flake, 3 cubic feet. All you need is a thin layer. I would not consider piling up deep litter with poop in it. Just not my thing. I like to clean out the poop and get rid of it.

The only time I MUST get it all out, since I have an ark style coop and run, it when it rains really hard (sideways) and it gets wet. If big storms are predicted I throw a large plastic sheet over the whole coop and run and hold it down on the sides with long boards. It is not air-tight as it is held down away from the edge of the coop run so air can flow around the coop/run. I also run 2 fans 24/7 into the end of the run for extra ventilation. It helps keep things dry as well.

 

[tiapet]

Does anyone else have an issue with their chickens being afraid of the sand??