What's better sand or straw bedding in coop?

[LittleBird123]

Does your coop have a floor or is it bare earth underneath? If bare ground, you might want to investigate the deep litter method. I use a combination of pine shavings, grass clippings, leaves, pine straw and clean my coop out once a year. Let the chickens do the work.

My coop has a wooden floor that is raised a few inches off the ground.

 

[LittleBird123]

Yeah unless you have a truck. I bought a ton of sand at the local gravel plant for about $30. Enough to cover two 8 x 10 coops 3" deep. Lowes sells bags of sand that I think are a ton in weight. Don't know the cost, but delivery would probably run $60-$70.

There is a Lowes near my house, I think I will go there sometime and check out their sand. What is the best type of sand to get? Suzi18 suggested construction grade sand, is that what you use?

 

[Suzi18]

Here are some pictures of my coop, how much sand do you think it would take to fill it? would it be expensive? I think I will have to go to the hardware store or tractor supply and look at their prices on sand.

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I called a local quarry and they were able to give me some names of people who would deliver sand to my house. I think $90 for 1 ton delivered to my backyard was a really good deal. I checked our Lowes and I would have needed at least 130 bags....

 

[PD-Riverman]

Lowes sells a 900+lb bag of sand for less than $40. Go to Lowes site and type in "bulk sand". They will set in "your truck" or your borrowed truck.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Here are some pictures of my coop, how much sand do you think it would take to fill it? would it be expensive? I think I will have to go to the hardware store or tractor supply and look at their prices on sand.

1 bag of sand will cover about 2sqft at 3" deep, so measure the coop floor length x width and divide by 2 if you want it 3" deep or divide my 3 if you want it 2" deep. The answer will be the number of standard bags you will probably need.

Example---3ft wide x 6ft long =18sqft
18 Divide by 2 = 9
9 bags will cover the floor of a coop that size up to 3" deep.

 

[Suzi18]

Lowes sells a 900+lb bag of sand for less than $40. Go to Lowes site and type in "bulk sand". They will set in "your truck" or your borrowed truck.

Unfortunately our Lowes doesn't carry the bulk sand. They only carry 50lb bags for $3.67 or 60lb bags for $4.06. Adds up quickly when you need a large amount.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Unfortunately our Lowes doesn't carry the bulk sand. They only carry 50lb bags for $3.67 or 60lb bags for $4.06. Adds up quickly when you need a large amount.

I would use the type sand in the 60lb bag. Yea it would take 30 bags to do one of my 88sqft coops 2" thick ---only about $130 LOL.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

There is a Lowes near my house, I think I will go there sometime and check out their sand. What is the best type of sand to get? Suzi18 suggested construction grade sand, is that what you use?

The best type is the coarser sand. I'm not sure what the proper terminology is. Ask them at Lowes.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Unfortunately our Lowes doesn't carry the bulk sand. They only carry 50lb bags for $3.67 or 60lb bags for $4.06. Adds up quickly when you need a large amount.

Look on Craigslist. Maybe someone can deliver you a pickup truck load of sand.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Whatever anyone does, don't get the sand that goes into kid's sandboxes. It's too fine and will hold moisture, will stick to everything and be a PITA. Get a coarse sand.