Sandbox

[Redbirdacres]

We have some sand, we had to fill sandbags to weigh down a patio umbrella and was thinking of giving some to our girls. I've heard it helps them in hot weather? And they like it?

Do you just put sand in the run or do you use a container of some kind? They are currently in a run that they've obviously cleared out of grass so it's just dirt now.

How do you maintain it? Thank you!

 

[nuthatched]

It might help them in hot weather if it was damp? but I don't see how it would help very much. What type of sand?

 

[Ridgerunner]

We have some sand, we had to fill sandbags to weigh down a patio umbrella and was thinking of giving some to our girls. I've heard it helps them in hot weather? And they like it?

Where did you hear that? I'd like to read it in context to see where they are coming from. Off the top of my head I can't think of how it helps in hot weather or why chickens would like it.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I don't think it helps with heat but they keep cool by digging down to cooler layers of dirt and if your substrate is too hard they can't dig down so mixing it with sand might help in that case. We have pretty clay-rich dirt and I add sand to the area where the hens dust bath and over time it has gotten looser and easier to dig in.

 

[Redbirdacres]

OK then how do you use sand?

It's the digging to cooler layers instead of digging holes in the run I believe I read.

 

[aart]

They are currently in a run that they've obviously cleared out of grass so it's just dirt now.

You need some kind of bedding in there...coarse woods chips from a tree trimmer work very well here. Sand is not the best bedding as it won't break down the poops and when it gets damp it sill stink.

It's the digging to cooler layers instead of digging holes in the run I believe I read

They can dig down darn near a foot, so .....