Utah - Sand in Run - Question!

[Peepsi]

Hi Everyone...

I am in the process of building my very first coop and run (Chickens are arriving in July). I have decided on Sand in the run area for a variety of reasons. The trouble I'm having is finding the sort of sand I need where I live. I'm in the Salt Lake City area of Utah (unfortunately) and I need coarse washed sand without any fine particles. I'm having trouble finding this in my area. I've called several of the quarries to ask, and I always get the secretaries, who know nothing about their products and who could not tell me what I needed to know.

Is ANYONE here from Utah who has bought sand for their coop/run? If so, where did you get it and what was it called? And are you happy with it (ie, are your chickens thriving in it?) Thanks!

 

[aart]

You could try asking in the Utah state chat thread, but it doesn't look very active:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/utah.24/page-3342

Tho I would advise against sand in run anyway, for a variety of reasons...
...finding the 'right sand' is tough, BTDT during my concrete sculpture days,
you've almost got to go look and touch.

 

[Peepsi]

Thanks aart. I didn't know there was a Utah chat thread. Thanks for pointing it out.

I've gone over all of the different litter methods, and to me, sand seems the 'cleanest'. I would be using it with PDZ, and would be diligent about cleaning the poop out every day. But yes, I have to be careful about the sand courseness, as anything too fine would hurt the chicken's respiratory systems. I guess I'm going to have to go to the quarries if I want to make sure I get the 'right' sand.

Curious though, why do you advise against sand? I'm definitely open to learning more.

 

[aart]

Eventually sand becomes saturated with pulverized poop, you can't sift it all out, and when damp it will stink. Then what do you do with it? I learned this from using it in a brooder, after a few rounds of chicks it reeked and I used it to fill holes in the lawn from an auto accident. It might work well in an arid climate or in a small coop, but in a decent sized run it's not a great choice.

My runs have semi-deep litter, never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO. Will 'cold compost' all the poops.

 

[Alaskan]

I think sand can be good in a run.. IF

It will not wash away, but water can wash through it (so filter down) since I find that does clean it

 

[Peepsi]

Eventually sand becomes saturated with pulverized poop, you can't sift it all out, and when damp it will stink. Then what do you do with it? I learned this from using it in a brooder, after a few rounds of chicks it reeked and I used it to fill holes in the lawn from an auto accident. It might work well in an arid climate or in a small coop, but in a decent sized run it's not a great choice.

My runs have semi-deep litter, never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO. Will 'cold compost' all the poops.

I fully agree with you on the Wood chippings. That would be my first choice if it were possible (ie, readily available and cheap). But I live in the middle of a desert, with very few trees and little logging going on, even in the mountains, where there are trees. What is available here is sand, and lots of it. I live smack in the middle of a city that's in this desert, on an extremely small lot (so getting a woodchipper and hauling in logs from the mountains and chipping them myself is simply not an option). Sand is the most available option.

By the way, I plan on digging down into the dirt before I place the run, filling the area with small stones, then a layer of pea gravel, then sand on top of that, so like the poster Alaskan said just above me, I can clean the run by spraying it with water, which will filter through and "wash" the sand (I hope). I am aware that eventually (at least three years?) I'll have to get rid of the sand and start over with fresh stuff. I will only have six chickens (large fowl) in the run, which will be 8' x 16'. Maybe that will help keep the manure manageable?

Thank you again for your thoughts, I do appreciate it!

 

[micstrachan]

I tried sand once. Until rainy season. That ended it. What a mess! However, my run did not drain well at the time.

 

[Eggscaping]

I fully agree with you on the Wood chippings. That would be my first choice if it were possible (ie, readily available and cheap). But I live in the middle of a desert, with very few trees and little logging going on, even in the mountains, where there are trees. What is available here is sand, and lots of it. I live smack in the middle of a city that's in this desert, on an extremely small lot (so getting a woodchipper and hauling in logs from the mountains and chipping them myself is simply not an option). Sand is the most available option.

I, for one, will look forward to how you do with this. I'm pondering using sand myself, in the run, and would certainly enjoy updates on how well the sand (and your methods) work out for you!

 

[Peepsi]

I, for one, will look forward to how you do with this. I'm pondering using sand myself, in the run, and would certainly enjoy updates on how well the sand (and your methods) work out for you!

Thanks! I do plan on starting a Coop Build Thread once I get into it, showing pictures and progress. It's still snowing here now (as we speak!!) so I can't start until things dry out a little. For the next week or two, it's non-stop snow and rain in the forecast.

Also, to the other poster who mentioned the rainy season... my run will have a solid roof over the whole run. With all the snow here, that's necessary (at least to me it is). I want my chickens to get their fluffy butts out in the run during the winter, and not be cooped up.

 

[Chick Wrangler]

Peepsi,

I am also in Utah and have been keeping chickens for about 3 1/2 years. I built my run out of chain link panels (top & sides). It was about 22 ft long X about 10 ft wide and was covered with a tarp. A neighbor who had been keeping chickens for several years recommended putting sand on the bottom of run. I ended up following their advice and put sand also on bottom of coop on top of concrete floor. Chickens had a concrete "step" on one end of coop with no sand they could sit & stand on and of course roosts to perch on. Put pine shavings in nest boxes and usually changed out shavings every week or two and washed out nest boxes as needed. Chickens spent most of their time confined to coop & run. Tried to let them free-range an hour or two a day in back yard when weather permitted. Used that setup for about 3 years when I lived in Utah County.

I ordered my sand from Linden Nursery in Lindon. It was granite sand and had all different sizes of particles. Some large enough the chickens used it for grit. The nursery delivered it in a truck for a nominal fee. I used a wheel barrow & shovel to fill bottom of coop & run. Had chickens out in yard at the time because that process DID raise a lot of dust. The chickens later dug down and mixed dirt with the sand. In the summer I wet down the sand in run so chickens could dig down and stay cool. From time to time would add a bag or two of sand.

Never noticed any problems with smell or with external parasites. The sand seems to help dry out the poop so it does not smell. Noticed a few sow bugs (the kind that curl up into a ball) crawling around in run. Did some searching on line and it sounds like they eat poop? so maybe that helps with the residual parts too small to scoop out?? I usually clean up after the birds once or twice a day with a large cat box scooper. The neighbor who suggested the sand uses a bottomless 5 gallon bucket with a hardware cloth filter and a shovel.

That does sound like it could be a concern with small particles causing respiratory problems. (So far have not noticed any respiratory problems with my "girls" but will be interested to learn more about it.) So far the sand seems to have worked pretty well for me.

Recently moved to Central Utah and brought my birds with me. Using sand here as well. Got the washed play sand in bags at Home Depot but miss the larger particles and now have to buy grit.

Like you, I am relatively new at this so you can take the above for what it's worth! Hope this helps!