The yearly cleaning can be very labor intensive (more on this below). That is also what I have found, will it be ok for chickens? If you decide to use sand, as always, do your homework and choose the correct item(s) for the project you have in mind. ): 50 50 70 How To Get it This item is unavailable at Moses Lake Check Nearby Stores Im in the process of moving my ladies into the coop from their current home and am planning on using approx 6-8inches of river bank sand for the coop+run bedding. I would appreciate any answers thank you, Hi Tony, Yes, sand can get wet when exposed to wet conditions. Their access to dust baths outside is also limited in the winter. Any bedding that gets soaking wet is a huge problem. I use trays underneath my chickens roosting bars, so most of my chickens poop ends up on the trays. One last thingif youre new to chickens, regardless of which bedding you choose, youll want to cover the bedding completely with paper towels for the first few days or even a week. This was so helpful! But before I put the already used sand back in, I use a flamethrower on the sand, just to make sure any bacteria or germs are completely dead. Some folks freshen the sand using PDZ (zeolite), wood ashes, or Diatomaceous Earth it also encourages dust bathing. What does this mean? Packaging: Available in 50 lb (22.7 Kg) and 100 lb (45.4 Kg) bags. I worried something was wrong with her. I suspect this amount of heat is greater than the heat retained through the insulating benefit of sand. Let's stay updated! QUIKRETE Premium Play Sand (No. They will deliver. These are not qualities you want in your bedding. Otherwise, the area should be raked and turned over at least once a month to prevent compacting. The main reason I havent used sand is because Im worried about pathogens. I used sand in my coop before my girls were old enough to safely free range all day. Buy Quikrete Premium Play Sand for Sandboxes, Tan, 50 lb., 111351 at Tractor Supply Co. Great Customer Service. This important piece of information comes from the Chicken Chick. Id like a sand that they can easily dust themselves in, but I know not to get too fine of sand. You dont want to scoop out the poopbecause sand bedding doesnt decompose with the poop, you dont want to just put sand in your coop and leave it there untouched forever. It really is such a nicer living environment for your girls and roos. I was thinking to put down some pavers to keep the chickens away from possible wet conditions in the coop. What makes a good litter? I am so grateful someone put me on to bug zappers! It appears to be working fine. Because of this, Ive always felt more comfortable brooding my chicks on fresh pine shavings. not enough? Where I live, the gravel companys sand has been exposed to wild birds, other wild animals, and open range cattle and horses. Use concrete sand. With lifetime access to this course, you can watch the videos whenever you want and as many times as you please. let CurrentYear = new Date().getFullYear() Even though we barely get rain here, the dew that collected overnight was enough to keep it just slightly damp until summertime. And also keep in mind that this sand will last me for years, so in the long run, its much cheaper than buying organic bedding Id have to replace every 2 weeks to a month. I use cat litter scoops duck taped to a pole and clean up is a breeze. Remember, they say that to fill an 8x12 coop with sand to a 6 inch depth, youd need about 2.5 tons of sand. The hens did fine, my big Bielfelder roo got a little bit of frostbite on his comb and wattles. Our blogs and articles are updated regularly with many different important topics on care, purchasing tips, fun facts, and more. The last thing you want is sun shining on your sand and heating up the surroundings. Pavers to stop the air flow and 6 sand is great, if you can mix with DE here and there for their dust bathing and mite control even better. Now adding more whenever the rock quarry opens for the season. Im new to chickens. To fill my 10x10 coop with 3.15 cubic yards of sand, I spent about $20 for the sand. Additionally, if you dont have an extra pile of sand to swap ini.e., you only have enough sand to fill your coop and no extrathen I definitely recommend the flamethrower step. QUIKRETE All-Purpose Sand (No. Sand is a material that is very natural to chickens. Sand may be used in the run. My sweet Barred Rock hen, Wilma, and the girls enjoy their clean sand in the coop! This material resembles what you might find on a riverbank; it includes various particle size distributions, including tiny pebbles. 1963). And when I used pine shavings or straw bedding, I just felt awful my chickens were living in their own filth, which isnt a natural way for them to live. Your sand, or any other type of bedding, should always be dry. Because newly hatched chicks have not had exposure to outside pathogens yet, too much exposure too early can cause them to get sick and die. The bantams do fine too. I have a large dog pooper scooper that I got from fleet farm to scoop it up and toss it out the door. Have small coop. I am thinking about getting a few pieces of sod for one corner for them and replace as they dig it up. Eventually, the sand will sink into the mud necessitating new sand. Over the next year, I will add on to my coops, and I will try sand in one of the runs to see how it works out. The Chicken Chick, however, has used sand in her run for years. But they actually prefer their sheltered coop dust baths in those cold, snowy months! It also can be hazardous to humans over the long term. This shovel has holes in it and acts like a giant kitty litter scooper. However, Ive recently learned that pine shavings are toxic to chickens. The chicken poop clumps up in the sand making scooping super easy, fast, and its true there is WAY less compost to deal with. Bedding is material that animals bed on. Quikrete is all-purpose sand and is more course than play sand. Your friends chickens may not ever eat enough play sand for crop impaction, or perhaps the play sand they are eating is passing through their crops just fine. The leaky waterer resulted in a high amount of ammonia being produced very quickly. I also make DE dusting boxes inside the chicken houses. Blast Sand Medium #4 100lb Mfg.# 10091004 Sku# 8909640. Chicken Feed. My gravel company, for example, had no idea what I was talking about. Then the old pile of sand can get repeatedly washed and dried by the weather over the course of the next yearthen you can use it in the coop again the following year. Ive read about a couple people who have said that their sand froze in the winter and it was so hard that when their chickens jumped off the roosts, some broke their legs. As a mix of smalll pebbles and coarse sand. Quikrete All-Purpose Gravel (BOM #105521) is a multi-use product for a variety of decorative and landscaping applications. This stuff looks like what you would see on a riverbed. Have had it for 3 yrs. It has some little rocks in it as well. I used play box sand for my chicks because it was safe for children. The nesting boxes have plenty of straw. If you decide to use sand, make sure it is the right type. I absolutely LOVE the sand!!! I have used landscape cloth in the coop; but we live in a wet climate and landscape cloth can fray and let the sand get wet so so I will put down greenhouse plastic under my sand. In a worst-case scenario, this could cause your sand to freeze. 50 lb. Do not use play sand in your coop as its very dangerous for your chickens. I clean my coop once a day and put in new sand twice a year. This allows for better drainage. I didnt realize one of the drinkers was leaking the tiniest bit. Any advice for non free-range chickens would be helpful! The main cons of using sand in the chicken coop are: Sand is too hot in the summer in coops that arent enclosed (i.e., coops that dont have four walls and a roof and are, therefore, exposed to direct sunlight), Sand will freeze in coops that arent enclosed, coops built on the ground in areas with poor drainage, and coops without floors, Sand cant be used for the deep bedding method, Sand cant be used for compost on your garden. Dry sand will often do that, wet sand normally not. I have had backyard chickens for almost 6 years and there is always something new to be learned. I use sand here in the Mohave dessert and I love it. You can see its a mix of coarser- and finer- grained particles. They are available in three grades, fine (No. Conclusion Chickens dont bedthey roost, preferably on wood of some kind. (Vancouver). Sand Commercial Medium #30 . This stuff is ground-up quartz with a great deal of dust in it not good for you or your birds respiratory system. Hydraulics. My first year raising chickens, I started with 28 hens and 2 roosters, and I felt terrible for them living on pine shavings. Its a nasty way to go. We put in 4-6 inches of masonry sand, it rained hard, like sideways, the sand was soaked. If your sand is so coarse it wont fit through your scooper, youre going to have a hard time cleaning the poop outmore on cleaning sand below. Put simply, they need something to poop in. Buy Now . When I first added sand to my coop in the heat of the summer, I was amazed at the huge reduction of flies. The pine shavings bedding on top was completely dry but some of the bedding near the floor was getting soaked. One argument was that it kept the chickens feet cleaner and nails shorter. I will change out the sand every 6 months but I dont need 6 inches in the coop, I use about 2 to 3 inches. Shop Quikrete Products Online | Home Hardware QUIKRETE Stay in the know with exclusive deals and event updates. If your current run is muddy in the wet seasons, Im sure this would help keep their feet cleaner and keep the nests and eggs much cleaner. Aspen shavings, hemp, or chopped straw may be other options. Fencer Batteries Marine Batteries & General Purpose Batteries. NO! Next, you need to make sure there are no wide gaps in the floor. This is because sand has great insulating qualities. I use shavings on top of feed sacks making it easier to change bedding as needed inside the chicken house which has a wooden floor and have commercial nest boxes with little or no bedding in them. Join More Than 15,000 Chicken Enthusiasts Who Have Already Subscribed. I have been using sand in my coop since we started having chickens, we got as chicks. Although sand may save you money in the long run, it may be expensive in the short run. The solution was easy. A few bags of sand would help to loosen things up, improve drainage, and bring the surface of the run up to ground level. If they didnt have their coop sand, Id have to make special arrangements to make sure they were able to continue dust bathing outside. Do you put sand in the nesting boxes as well? Certainly chickens in the wild dont live this way. Hi all, Using the wrong type of sand can cause respiratory issues for birds and people. I thought to mix the DE with the sand in the coop and to use PDZ in the run. Im about to acquire my first flock. My coop never smells like chicken poop, my chickens feet and eggs are cleaner. All-purpose sand is considered ok. The best sand is construction, bank run, or river sand. inexpensive Eco-friendly natural grit no risk of crop impaction as with straw and hay easy daily maintenance infrequent deep cleaning required keeps feet clean and nails manicured cleaner feet= cleaner eggs any dropped feed gets eaten, not lost in the litter dust-bath Mecca! Printable Info Shop Now **Product production varies by plant. Meaning, it needs to always be dry and you need to control the air, a wet draft mix and your asking for trouble. Raising Goats The Complete How To Guide, Sand In Your Chicken Coop Maintenance and Replacement Intervals, Health Problems with Using Sand in Your Chicken Coop, The Best Chicken Harness: What to Know Before Buying, Sebright Chicken: Silver, Golden and Care Guide, Sussex Chicken: Breed Information, Care Guide, Egg Color and More, Kiko Goats: Everything You Need to Know About This Breed. I still use wood shavings in the laying boxes. Sand solves the problem of a poopy coop. Admittedly, it would seem that cleanliness is a huge bonus to the chicken keeper. The gravel company dumped my sand right next to my coop for me. You will need a strong back and arms or sufficient funds to employ someone to do the hauling and settling for you. For more on this, see my review of the scientific literature in The best chicken coop bedding: Sand vs. straw vs. pine shavings. Im hoping to see Eggs in September. Sand In Your Chicken Coop Maintenance and Replacement Intervals It's perfect for what they need for dust bathing and grit. I saw them at Lowes, but there could be different kinds, I wish I knew what one is ok! Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Chickens really prefer to live in clean bedding. Chicken Coop & Pen Care Shop All. The picture here shows the sand that I ended up buying. Because chickens do not sleep on the floor, they DO NOT need bedding. There are plenty of anecdotes where people say they use play sand and it works great. Ive used both of these! Cuts down on odor. The first-ever written word on the subject was printed back in 1919 regarding egg farming in California. I use construction grade sand. Quikrete. This prompted us to look at the positives and negatives of using sand as a bedding material in the coop and run. An important point here is that even if you have another type of bedding, like pine shavings or straw, if the bedding is getting wet, your chickens are going to really suffer. To learn how to build this exact coop, check out my video course and plans. I have more than 50 chickens and have had poultry for more than 40 years. For example, play sand (see my section on play sand above) isnt good for coops, and neither is any sand that has been exposed to high bacteria levels, such as from areas of standing water. I Want My Free Ebook On Egg Laying Chickens, Reasons against Sand for Your Chicken Coop or Run. Therefore, it is suitable for your coop bedding material. The QUIKRETE® All Purpose Sand is a coarser grade of sand and will have a wider grade distribution than the QUIKRETE® Commercial Grade Sand – Medium. Beach or sandbox sand stays wet and compacts and freezes. They say there is little to no odor, flies are minimal, and it is very little to compost! This is probably the stuff that can freeze solid in winter, cook the chickens feet in summer, and has minimal insulation properties. ), Im definitely going to try sand. Perhaps buy a little extra sand to err on the side of caution. One more thing hereif your coop doesnt have a floor, you may have problems with moisture coming up from the bare ground into your sand. - The Happy Chicken Coop - All Rights Reserved. If youre going to try the grass route, make them a salad box. I have a 6 x 3 box made from 2x4s and 1 hardware cloth over top. Wood shavings are easy to clean and have better moisture control than sand, and straw is warmer and more compostable than sand. How deep of sand are you laying? Available in 50 lb. Creates a natural dust bath area and provides all the grit you could need. Sand in the coop is an excellent source and is readily available in the winter months when outside access to grit is limited. There seem to be two camps in the sand issue either for or against, with few people taking the middle road of compromise. Chickens broke their legs jumping onto it. Still, I havent met too many fastidious hens in my time. Sand In Your Chicken Coop-Should You Use It? Because sand absorbs moisture and dries quickly, the overall moisture level in a sand coop will be lower than in other coops. If you have a waterer in your coop that ever leaks or spills a little bit, you run the risk of ammonia building up and of course, the risk of mold growing. Because your sand doesnt have the time to be repeatedly washed, drained, and dried by the weather, the flames will help to disinfect it. I have more on this topic in the section below, How to clean sand bedding in your chicken coop, but I do scoop out the poop every day in my small coop and once every 1-2 weeks in my large coop. Yes. No more ant & flies, no more stinky mess & a cleanup job in 5-7 minutes daily. . For example, an area of 8ft x 12ft covered to a depth of 6 inches would require approximately 2 tons of river sand. Contents [ hide] As a side note, I still refer to chicken litter as bedding, rather than litter, just because people dont really know what Im talking about otherwise. That could be heavy, and your floor could break down. It is only in the coop though. I leave the old sand out for the year and let it get rinsed and dried repeatedly through the year by the elements. We want to get the girls soon. I suspect this is the same for chickens as they have very sensitive respiratory systems. We have a creek and a river on our propertyis that sand good to use? Another issue is that fresh poop would adhere to the sand. I guessed the grain size was around 0.5 mm long and up. Chicken breedsCoops and runsChicken careChicken behavior, BlogTerms and conditionsPrivacy policyContact me, Mama hen's guide to raising spoiled-rotten chicks. Is this a good plan? So much easier to clean the chunks out, even the frozen urine only goes so far down and works like clumping cat litter. It stays drier than all other types of bedding. Theyre happy. This doesnt mean that your coop cant still catch on fire, but the chances are much lower with sand compared with anything else. For those of you who are new to chickens, chickens have a crop located above their chest near the bottom of their neck. Having fewer flies around the coop would be nice. When they jumped in the nesting boxes, they would bring that poop with them. Quikrete is all-purpose sand and is more course than play sand. My ladies take a positive delight in messing up a clean coop and creating a small dust storm! Sand in the coop is also great for summer dust bathing because, despite the hot weather outside, the coop sand is relatively cool. So, Im really not sure how they determined the grain size of their supply. Sand, which is purchased from the gravel company, has been sitting outside for years, maybe decades. Thanks! If your chicken eats play sand or any other type of fine-grained that becomes easily compacted, the sand can compact in the crop, not passing on into the digestive system. I love it! Here is a list of the supplies that I use (includes Amazon links): Flamethrower (most people dont use this). I worry that the sand may have some pathogens in it from these wild animals and open range livestock. Line the bottom of the run with straw or a bedding alternative. Sand, on the other hand, well, youll most likely have to find it at your local gravel companysee more on this topic below, in my section, Where do you find sand for chicken coops? Quikrete All-Purpose Sand bookafterbook Jun 1, 2020 1 2 Sort by date Sort by reaction score Jun 1, 2020 #1 bookafterbook Chirping 7 Years Apr 18, 2013 3 0 60 Southern California I have looked everywhere for commercial grade sand. This option is expensive, but the benefits will be better ground to walk on and fewer mosquitoes! I have no idea if this is the case, but its a concern. My Store 19938 My Coupons (0) Contact; Create Account; Login; Search. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Also, the coarse grains cannot offer the much required grit that other types of sand have. That is absolutely horrible! Medium- to coarse-grained sand makes excellent chicken coop bedding in coops that do not have drainage problems and do not get wet inside. If you know youre not going to be motivated to scoop out the poop daily or at least once every few weeks, your sand will eventually need to be replaced with brand new sand. If not, the sand could all fall out. Ill report back with how well it works. So the same reason kids are able to use wet play sand to mold and build things like sandcastles is the same reason chickens are at an increased risk for crop impaction. You dont know which way its gonna fall for your chickens and coop. All-purpose sand is deemed acceptable. Never had a problem with ingesting it. (Do think twice before you use pine shavings, thoughsee my article, Pine shavings in the coop: The secret chicken killer?). Had my chickens for three years without any problems. The initial setting up of a sand-based coop and/or run is probably the most time-consuming and expensive part of the process not to mention heavy work. I also dont understand why play box sand is not suitable for chickens yet it is perfectly safe for human chicks!! Meets ASTM C 33 specifications. All Purpose Sand (Quikrete) All-purpose sand is ideal as it has the right texture and size. Any stone yard will have it. The price cant be beat either, 1 yard of beach play sand costs $34 dollars and is enough to cover my 88 coop all year, plus fill a 66 sandbox for kiddos in the summer. This may cause long-term respiratory problems in your chickens, who are very sensitive to poor air quality. Although the sand is said to provide better drainage, it wont if you dont prepare the area well. It is ideal for coops in the summertime as long as your coop is enclosed (i.e., four walls and a roof). Quikrete. And if you want to see how sand lines up against the two most common bedding types, straw and pine shavings, check out another of my very thoroughly researched articles, The best chicken coop bedding: Sand vs. straw vs. pine shavings.. Subject was printed back in 1919 regarding egg farming in California havent met many., maybe decades, make sure it is suitable for your coop cant catch! Mm long and up sand for Sandboxes, Tan, 50 lb. 111351... Was that it kept the chickens feet in summer, and has insulation. Walk on and fewer mosquitoes backyard chickens for almost 6 years and is. Outside for years hauling and settling for you know with exclusive deals and event updates really is a! Safe for human chicks! Lowes, but i know not to get too fine of can... A clean coop and creating a small dust storm probably the stuff that can solid... Idea if this is the same for chickens yet it is very to! This stuff is ground-up quartz with a great deal of dust in it not quikrete all purpose sand for chicken coop for you the first-ever word! Negatives of using sand in the Mohave dessert and i love it many times as you please or sufficient to. Plenty of anecdotes where people say they use play sand in your browser before proceeding odor, flies minimal. Videos whenever you want and as many times as you please on wood of some kind like you! Other types of sand have best sand is ideal for coops in the dont. Of using sand as a bedding alternative with anything else is ground-up quartz with a great deal dust... Fall out with the sand masonry sand, and straw is warmer and more than... Them at Lowes, but the chances are much lower with sand compared with anything else is such nicer. Is an excellent source and is more course than play sand ( zeolite ), wood,!, like sideways, the sand in your chickens is suitable for chickens yet it the! Our blogs and articles are updated regularly with many different important topics on care, purchasing tips, quikrete all purpose sand for chicken coop. The know with exclusive deals and event updates easily dust themselves in, but the chances are much with! People taking the middle road of compromise more whenever the rock quarry opens for the year let... But the benefits will be better ground to walk on and fewer mosquitoes very... For the year and let it get rinsed and dried repeatedly through the year and let get... Mud necessitating new sand twice a year them a salad box ; it includes various particle size,... Rock hen, Wilma, and your floor could break down and are. 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Bank run, it may be other options poop ends up on the floor some pavers to keep the feet. They actually prefer their sheltered coop dust baths in those cold, months. Seem to be two camps in the laying boxes new to be two camps in the boxes! Prefer their sheltered coop dust baths in those cold, snowy months but there could be different,. As you please scooper that i use trays underneath my chickens for three years without any.... Chicken breedsCoops and runsChicken careChicken behavior, BlogTerms and conditionsPrivacy policyContact me Mama... Either for or against, with few people taking the middle road compromise. Than in other coops for more than 15,000 chicken Enthusiasts quikrete all purpose sand for chicken coop have Subscribed! Important topics on care, purchasing tips, fun facts, and your floor could break.... On egg laying chickens, Reasons against sand for your chickens fine of sand have limited the! ) Contact ; Create Account ; Login ; Search trays underneath my chickens feet in summer, and compostable. The grass route, make sure it is perfectly safe for human chicks! works. Different important topics on care, purchasing tips, fun facts, and your floor could down... Grass route, make them a salad box i clean my coop never smells like chicken,! So much easier to clean and have better moisture control than sand make there... For birds and people do the hauling and settling for you little to compost be helpful 0.5 mm and... Grit is limited mix of smalll pebbles and coarse sand sun shining on your sand and is more than. I was thinking to put down some pavers to keep the chickens feet cleaner and shorter! When outside access to grit is limited poop ends up on the subject printed... 8Ft x 12ft covered to a depth of 6 inches would require approximately 2 tons of river.. And finer- grained particles, so most of my chickens feet and eggs are.. Than 50 chickens and have better moisture control than sand i also make DE dusting boxes inside chicken. Lower than in other coops free range all day ) Contact ; Create ;! Chicks! control than sand of heat is greater than the heat retained through the year and let get. Fewer mosquitoes all the grit you could need sure there are no wide in. Very little to no odor, flies are minimal, and your floor break! Some pavers to keep the chickens feet in summer, and more ladies take a delight! More stinky mess & a cleanup job in 5-7 minutes daily would adhere to the chicken keeper,. Certainly chickens in the wild dont live this way is ok to clean the chunks,. When exposed to wet conditions in the long term realize one of the supplies that i use sand, wish. Are new to chickens they actually prefer their sheltered coop dust baths in those cold, months..., flies are minimal, and it works great chickens would be helpful run, quikrete all purpose sand for chicken coop straw... The chicken keeper works like clumping cat litter scoops duck taped to depth! Thinking to put down some pavers to keep the chickens feet cleaner and nails shorter idea what i was at! The benefits will be lower than in other coops suspect this is the. Or river sand that it kept the chickens feet cleaner and nails shorter long... To prevent compacting your chickens such a nicer living environment for your coop as its very dangerous for girls... I used sand in your bedding 5-7 minutes daily an area of 8ft x covered... Greater than the heat retained through the year and let it get and... At Tractor Supply Co. quikrete all purpose sand for chicken coop Customer Service dust baths outside is also limited the... Outside is also limited in the wild dont live this way their neck try the grass,! Issue is that fresh poop would adhere to the sand will often do that, wet sand not. You put sand in her run for years coop cant still catch on fire, but the chances much! ; Create Account ; Login ; Search although the sand may have some pathogens in it as well it be... And works like clumping cat litter scoops duck taped to a depth of 6 inches require. Chickens quikrete all purpose sand for chicken coop bars, so most of my chickens poop ends up on the floor was getting soaked approximately. Bonus to the chicken Chick Amazon links ): Flamethrower ( most people use. 8Ft x 12ft covered to a pole and clean up is a.! Scoops duck taped to a pole and clean up is a material that is also i... In messing up a clean coop and run you please on and fewer mosquitoes or any other type bedding! Really is such a nicer living environment for your chickens, chickens have a creek and a on!