Wrong kind of sand?

[California Girls]

I know this is talked about a lot. I think I used the wrong kind of sand. I used play sand. Is that wrong? If so, what is the name of the other kind or sand I need to get. Thanks for your help.

 

[muell112]

What is the sand for? If you want grit I think bigger pieces of granite are what they sell commercially in the store for grit. I put sand in initially and the birds ate a bunch and it kind of worried me. The bigger (1/8-1/4") pieces of hard rock are supposed to work well.

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

I am literally looking up sand at the moment in another tab of my internet and it's on Home Depot play sand!! I too am curious what the answers will be and what you're using it for. Since it's in this forum I'd think you mean for the floor otherwise it would be in feeding & watering right?

 

[California Girls]

I'm sorry, I use pine shavings in the coop, and the sand is for the run.
Thanks

 

[ColoradoMike]

I think 'play sand' is just fine to use in the run area, though it may be less expensive to buy sand 'in bulk' from an aggregate supplier - though that depends on the size of your run and the amount of sand you actually need...

 

[deanna&rich]

"Play Sand" is the same kind of stuff as the sand you can buy for construction purposes. It has just been cleaned more so that it's safe for a kid's sandbox. The construction sand is pretty well washed and free of any debris, so for the quantity needed for a run, that's what we're using.

 

[greenpeeps]

Play sand isn't what you want for your chickens. Play sand is very fine and when it gets wet it compacts and doesn't drain very well. You need construction sand for the chickens. This is a mixture of different grains of sand that work great for the drainage. Good Luck.

 

[greenpeeps]

Oh, you could even try river rock instead of the construction sand. But never play sand. They are different.

 

[DawnSuiter]

All about Sand in the BYC Learning Center How To:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=11374-sand-for-your-coops

 

[dianer29]

D: I live in Hawaii, supplies are real difficult at times to come by due to the travel times from mainland and the fact that alot of"mail" that is destined for here,The Big Island, stops at Oahu first adding even more time to getting supplies let alone the expense. That aside: do you know if a Home Depot would carry construction sand in bags? I will venture out to the city soon to get supplies just thought you might know...........