Should you Use Sand in Your Coop?Reasons against Sand for Your Chicken Coop or RunReasons to Use Sand in Your Chicken Coop and RunHow to Set Up Sand in Your CoopWhich Type of Sand Should You Use?Sand In Your Chicken Coop Maintenance and Replacement IntervalsHealth Problems with Using Sand in Your Chicken CoopSand In Your Chicken Coop Summary. We live in a very sandy soil area so our run has excellent drainage. With their coop on concrete, I opted to only put a box of sand in their coop and leave the floor bare. Certainly chickens in the wild dont live this way. The presence of sand in a chicken coop is a valid concern. I love it! Contents [ hide] If your coop has a floor and is elevated off the ground at least 6 inches, you shouldnt have drainage problems. No more ant & flies, no more stinky mess & a cleanup job in 5-7 minutes daily. The sand you are using is fine. Because moisture is 1 of 2 factors leading to frostbite (the other being low temperature), chickens in sand coops have a reduced risk for developing it. How I use these supplies is explained in detail below. In watching my chickens, they love nothing better than a good dirt bath. It appears to be working fine. Just got them in May. Because your sand doesnt have the time to be repeatedly washed, drained, and dried by the weather, the flames will help to disinfect it. let CurrentYear = new Date().getFullYear() The chickens love turning everything over. 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. Consider using straw instead, and either use the deep litter method or replace the bedding frequently. Will this work for my run? This may cause long-term respiratory problems in your chickens, who are very sensitive to poor air quality. Claire. Chicken Coops. I have never amended the sand with other products. I have looked everywhere for commercial grade sand. Medium- to coarse-grained sands and very fine-grained gravels are safe for chicken coops. 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. Should I lay landscaping fabric to keep the sand from washing in the ares exposed to rain? Some people say that their chickens eat more of their own feces when its covered in sand. And despite the fact that chickens have wonderful dirt outside for dust bathing, when your girls get that itch to dust bathe, some of them dont want to have to go all the way outside. Can I use quikrete all purpose sand for chicken coop? We use the sand that comes in the long sand bags that you use in the winter because it is clean sand. This is why you really need to see the sand in person before buying. Admittedly, it would seem that cleanliness is a huge bonus to the chicken keeper. The type of sand I wanted was actually labeled as way less than 0.5 millimeters, but it seemed to me like most of the grains were way coarser than what was labeled. Sand is being delivered tomorrow. Also, the coarse grains cannot offer the much required grit that other types of sand have. Im not worried about the pathogens harming my adult chickenstheyve already been exposed to these same pathogens while free rangingbut I dont know if the pathogen level is high enough to harm newly hatched chicks. Obviously, sand wont work for this because its inorganic. Sand doesnt hold moisture the same way organic bedding does, and because of this, you dont need to worry as much about mold and ammonia. However, Ive recently learned that pine shavings are toxic to chickens. Chicken keepers are unlikely to realize that their play sand is the culprit. Let us know how it works for you in the comments below any problems and solutions. Wait, you might be thinking, havent you been saying this whole time that sand has fewer pathogens? Perhaps buy a little extra sand to err on the side of caution. My girls love it, easy to dig in & easy for dusting. Replace the paper towels as needed. We are just changing over to sand. My chickens are free range, but they dont like to venture out into the cold weather as much. Table of Contents 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. I highly recommend you have extra sand, though, if possibleits cleaner in the long run. It was absolutely disgusting. Sand In Your Chicken Coop-Should You Use It? You can find data on how to do it on line. They should also have less exposure to parasites, like worms. The pine shavings bedding on top was completely dry but some of the bedding near the floor was getting soaked. Available in: 50 lb. Alternatives to straw are leaves, construction-grade sand, or wood shavings. Just leaving it there may work for quite awhile, but if you dont keep it clean in the long term, youre going to have major coop sanitation problems. What about insulation in the cold winter months? This is probably the stuff that can freeze solid in winter, cook the chickens feet in summer, and has minimal insulation properties. Obviously gravel companies measure sand in different waysthe company I used measured the sand in cubic yards, whereas the estimate referenced by the Happy Chicken Coop measured the sand in tons. Believe it or not, Amazon sells bagged straw for coops as well! This means that the grains can compact easilythere is a lot less pore space, and when the grains get wet, they are very cohesive. . My view is that the BEST bedding for chickens is wood shavings. Quikrete. This material resembles what you might find on a riverbank; it includes various particle size distributions, including tiny pebbles. Your sand, or any other type of bedding, should always be dry. I like that there are less bugs for the chickens to eat so they have less risk of worms.There is no offensive odour or flies, and the girls can use the grit, dig and bath in the sand. The best I can find is Quikrete All-Purpose Sand. A few bags of sand would help to loosen things up, improve drainage, and bring the surface of the run up to ground level. These sands may have high levels of bacteria, Coccidiosis, or who knows what else, that you dont want your chickens around. While it may seem too industrial for hermit crabs, it's safe. Let me just say right off that even though sand is cleaner, you do still need to keep on top of it. Provides insulation on the floor of coop. Im about to acquire my first flock. Im new to chickens. it has plenty of open air holes for air flow the floor is still wet and muddy. Required fields are marked *. I had to stop by and look at all their piles of different sands. . And only sand. All-purpose sand may initially sound exactly like that: made for ALL purpose. 1113) is a specially graded washed sand that has been screened for children's sand boxes. At the time few people paid attention because traditionally chickens have always been a farm animal and as such were mostly found in barns and areas where hay was kept. Let's stay updated! But the good news is that sand dries up very quickly because it does not retain a lot of moisture for too long. I have a coop and enclosed run. Join More Than 15,000 Chicken Enthusiasts Who Have Already Subscribed. I scrape the trays every morning using a taping knife. I only have the natural sandy dirt floor in mine & they seem to be doing fine. All-purpose sand is considered 'ok.' The best sand is construction, bank run, or river sand. 50-Pound PowerLoc Gray Jointing Sand Mfg.# 1150-47 Sku# 614982. Spreading straw, hay, or similar over the floors and in the nest boxes. However, I had to pay to get the sand delivered, and thats where it got expensive. Quickrete general purpose sand is a washed, properly graded coarse sand with multi-purpose uses. I suspect this amount of heat is greater than the heat retained through the insulating benefit of sand. If you are using electricity in your coop, theres always a chance of fire. 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. It only takes a couple minutes to scoop out the poop. I cant move the coop so trying to keep my 4 girls happy. You have no idea how gross coops can get. I use sand here in the Mohave dessert and I love it. Jointing Sand Hardscape 50lb Mfg.# 117556 Sku# 8907362. 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. You will need a strong back and arms or sufficient funds to employ someone to do the hauling and settling for you. 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. Well, sand in the coop is also wonderful for winter dust bathing. They are constantly muddy and like most chickens they adore dust bathing. Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread. Me too! Available in 50 lb. Does your chicken coop need to be off the ground? My girls (Hens) and I are so much happier for your knowledge. The main reason I havent used sand is because Im worried about pathogens. Additionally, crop storage allows chickens to digest their food while they are sleeping at night (they love to go to bed with a full crop). Buy Now . bags Use For: Underlayment for Brick Pavers Mixing with portland cement and gravel to make concrete Traction on Snow and Ice Mixing with potting soil Data Sheet Safety Data Sheet I looked up long tube sand and Home Depot has 60 lbs bags of it by Quikrete. Your coop doesnt have a flooryour sand bedding may get wet if moisture is constantly coming up from the ground. Multi-use product. Most folks do a daily poop scoop and are done. but yes! ): 50 50 70 How To Get it This item is unavailable at Moses Lake Check Nearby Stores Though chicks need grit to help digest their food, sand gets sodden and can clump in the chick's crop unlike commercial grit or dirt. Chickens broke their legs jumping onto it. They will tear up the sod in 2 days max. Some people, however, use sand as a flooring material. November 6, 2022. For anywhere from $10-$20 you can get an entire truckload of sand from a quarry. For another example, the Happy Chicken Coop blog estimates that sand costs between $25-$40/ton. Also for making concrete. The BEST luxury coop youll ever buy: Spoil your chickens with Rita Marie's, Chicken coop ventilation: 21 design ideas with pictures, Straw for chicken coop bedding: Pros, cons, and how to do it right. I really appreciate your articles. It is so easy to clean. You can learn at your own pace and on your own time with this pre-recorded online course. 1/2 Yard runs about $25 if you pick up. The tip of my roosters comb has been blue on and off for close to two weeks and now he and two out of five hens have been sneezing so Im looking to re-floor the run to see if its a respiratory issue. Construction sand has been a life saver. Some sources stated that sand was a good medium for hiding and growing E. coli and coccidiosis. Buy Quikrete Premium Play Sand for Sandboxes, Tan, 50 lb., 111351 at Tractor Supply Co. Great Customer Service. For a summary of the latest research on this, see my article, Pine shavings in the coop: The secret chicken killer? The reason crop impaction is a much more serious problem with play sand than larger-grained and mixed-grained sand is because play sand is composed of grains that are very fine and of similar size. You can alternate sand each year. Sand In Your Chicken Coop Maintenance and Replacement Intervals 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? weight limit 50 pound of All-Purpose Sand Quikrete All-Purpose Sand 50 lb. All Purpose Sand (Quikrete) All-purpose sand is ideal as it has the right texture and size. Use for underlayment for brick pavers and traction on snow and ice. It did seem great for a lot of reasons you listed but the down side was I couldnt keep out ants, and food was getting mixed in that made it hard to get out & I worry of them eating old spoiled food. I have fashioned a large scoop out of a 5 prong pitch fork using 1/4 in hardware cloth on the fork, it makes a great scoop. 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. I also was not aware, until recently, that pine shavings are toxic for chickens - more information on that in my article, Pine shavings in the coop: The secret chicken killer? If you decide to use sand, make sure it is the right type. There seem to be two camps in the sand issue either for or against, with few people taking the middle road of compromise. Effectively disguising it, young chicks might ingest a lot of poop, leavingthem susceptible to coccidiosis. Any advice for non free-range chickens would be helpful! Stay away from play sand. Because play sands are made through crushing quartz grains into very fine-grained pieces, this type of sand clumps together a lot. 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 leave the old sand out for the year and let it get rinsed and dried repeatedly through the year by the elements. Quikrete. But they actually prefer their sheltered coop dust baths in those cold, snowy months! The Chicken Chick, however, has used sand in her run for years. 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. May be used as underlay for brick pavers. Any stone yard will have it. Quikrete all purpose sand This is a type of sand that is washed and used as an underlayment for flagstones and brick pavers. If youre planning to use sand in your run, you must prepare the ground for sand. Wish I knew this trick years ago . Depending on where you live, sand may be low cost in the short run as well. Meets ASTM C 33 specifications. Quikrete All-Purpose Sand is a washed, properly graded coarse sand with multi-purpose uses. I still use wood shavings in the laying boxes. It was definitely pretty coarse. When a chicken eats something, it sits in her crop before going through the digestive process. feel free share . I live in the Willamette Valley of Oregon and have sandy soil, but the outside runs of all my livestock would be muddy during the rainy seasons so I started using construction sand about three years ago (also called -10) at the suggestion of the rock company to raise the ground level and have been VERY happy with the results! You remove much of the poop through scooping, and the poop thats still left in the coop is dried out. All-purpose Price: $1 - $5 Bag Weight (lbs. Unlike organic bedding materials, sand is not flammable. I use about 10 bags of sand and all the old goes in my garden. But to give you an idea of how much sand you might need, I needed about 3.15 cubic yards of sand to fill my 10x10 coop to a 4-5 inch depth. I live in southwest Florida and was wondering if the sand you are using is the natural Florida sand in every yard?? That sounds hyperbolic, but really Im just being blunt. I am thinking about getting a few pieces of sod for one corner for them and replace as they dig it up. As I mentioned above, when I used other types of bedding in my coops, my chickens always had poop on their feet. Is my friend right? If you decide it is for you, we also have a section in this article about how to use sand in your coop and which type. This is because the sand is blocking the passageway out of the crop. The Home Depot sells All-Purpose Sand (115251). Your sand dries the poop quickly and releases the moisture quickly, unlike organic bedding. Because chickens do not sleep on the floor, they DO NOT need bedding. The pros of using sand in the chicken coop, The cons of using sand in the chicken coop, How sand holds up against other bedding types, When not to use sand for chicken coop bedding, Exactly how to find and buy sand for your chicken coop, Lets start by getting this one thing out of the way. Every 1-2 weeks, I use a shovel with holes in it, like this shovel from amazon, to remove the poop on the floor in my large 10x10 coop. Sand, which is purchased from the gravel company, has been sitting outside for years, maybe decades. First, you need to make sure your flooring can hold the sand in the first place. Another issue is that fresh poop would adhere to the sand. Quikrete is all-purpose sand and is more course than play sand. Here is a list of the supplies that I use (includes Amazon links): Flamethrower (most people dont use this). ): 50 Commercial grade medium Commercial grade fine Patio paver Sort & Filter Sort & Filter Sort By Featured Best Sellers Highest Rated New Arrivals Sand Type All-purpose (16) Commercial grade medium (4) Patio paver (3) Play sand (3) Commercial grade fine (2) Dry mason (2) Traction (2) Washed sand (2) For more on using straw, see my article, Straw for chicken coop bedding: Pros, cons, and how to do it right. Wait, what? The coop has no floor and after leaving the door open. Thanks! If you decide to use sand, as always, do your homework and choose the correct item(s) for the project you have in mind. Buy Now . 1152) is a washed, properly graded coarse sand with multi-purpose uses. Find A Store; Energy. Hemp has similar benefits to wood shavings and straw but is less expensive. Would this work? Check out the video below to see just how fast a fire can start in your coop if you use organic bedding, like pine shavings, and a heat lampspoiler: within 45 seconds. Claire, After reading all the pros and cons, decided to give sand a Go and it has been life changing! As chronicled in the academic book, Poultry Behaviour and Welfare, by Appleby et al., domestic chickens descended primarily from the Red Junglefowl, a tropical species of bird that lives mostly in forested areas and areas of thick vegetation. Coop Heaters Shop All. I am seeing the term litter more often in blogs, so maybe we are on our way! Even though we barely get rain here, the dew that collected overnight was enough to keep it just slightly damp until summertime. What makes a good litter? They will deliver. I am looking to see if is possible to mix it an reduce the humidity and odor. The second reason you dont want to use play sand, or any fine-grained sands, is because fine-grained sands are really dusty. Chicken breedsCoops and runsChicken careChicken behavior, BlogTerms and conditionsPrivacy policyContact me, Mama hen's guide to raising spoiled-rotten chicks. I have a cement floor heated coop with lots of ventilation and a fan. Quikrete Companies 1152-51 50 lb AP Coarse Sand Brand: Quikrete 91 ratings Currently unavailable. , when i used other types of bedding, should always be dry every... Whole time that sand costs between $ 25- $ 40/ton dont like to venture out the! In person before buying who are very sensitive to poor air quality just say right off that though! Sandy soil area so our run has excellent drainage maybe we are on our!! Of heat is greater than the heat retained through the insulating benefit of sand in your coop doesnt have flooryour. Are made through crushing quartz grains into very fine-grained pieces, this type of bedding in my.... Flamethrower ( most people dont use this ) over the floors and in comments. And quikrete all purpose sand for chicken coop most chickens they adore dust bathing the side of caution types of sand in first! In the nest boxes ; it includes various particle size distributions, including pebbles. Includes Amazon links ): Flamethrower ( most people dont use this ) and pavers. The floor was getting soaked girls happy x27 ; s sand boxes ares exposed to rain it is the.... Truckload of sand and is more course than play sand is cleaner, you might on. This because its inorganic and traction on snow and ice find on a ;. Is cleaner, you do still need to see if is possible to mix it an the... Admittedly, it & # x27 ; s sand boxes need bedding outside for years bags that use... Sufficient funds to employ someone to do the hauling and settling for you in coop. That even though we barely get rain here, the coarse grains can not offer much... Fewer pathogens a chance of fire into very fine-grained gravels are safe for chicken coops us know it... Coop: the secret chicken killer not, Amazon sells bagged straw for coops as well live in chicken! Has the right texture and size clean sand decided to give sand a Go and it has plenty open! Been sitting outside for years, maybe decades however, Ive recently learned that pine shavings are to. Are done sand to err on the side of caution non free-range chickens would be helpful coop is wonderful. Dont use this ) floor in mine & they seem to be doing.. Any other type of bedding, should always be dry in your run, you must prepare the.. Sands are made through crushing quartz grains into very fine-grained pieces, this of! And growing E. coli and coccidiosis coops can get organic bedding materials, sand is fine-grained. Its covered in sand can not offer the much required grit that other types of clumps... That has been life changing worried about pathogens too long is a washed, graded! Havent you been saying this whole time that sand has fewer pathogens wondering. $ 1 - $ 5 Bag quikrete all purpose sand for chicken coop ( lbs sources stated that sand was good! Quikrete 91 ratings Currently unavailable your chicken coop blogs, so maybe we are on our way actually prefer sheltered! Disguising it, young chicks might ingest a lot the floors and in the wild dont live this way to... Be doing fine realize that their play sand is a washed, properly graded coarse sand with multi-purpose uses sand... The term litter more often in blogs, so maybe we are our! Hay, or wood shavings in her run for years & they to. Highly recommend you have extra sand to err on the side of caution keep on was... And let it get rinsed and dried repeatedly through the insulating benefit of sand have wet muddy. On our way of poop, leavingthem susceptible to coccidiosis pine shavings are toxic to chickens look all... Digestive process, or wood shavings use these supplies is explained in detail.! Off the ground hyperbolic, but really Im just being blunt a couple to... Reason you dont want your chickens around our run has excellent drainage the happy chicken coop blog estimates sand. Our run has excellent drainage chickens eat more of their own feces its... Do a daily poop scoop and are done bedding may get wet if moisture is constantly coming from! I leave the floor was getting soaked explained in detail below that collected was. Run for years, maybe decades growing E. coli and coccidiosis they seem to be two camps in the boxes! Currently unavailable poop on their feet leaving the door open instead, and thats where it got.! Works for you sands are made through crushing quartz grains into very gravels. Thinking, havent you been saying this whole time that sand dries very... Sleep on the floor, they love nothing better than a good for. Is greater than the heat retained through the year and let it get and... Is not flammable i am looking to see the sand growing E. coli and coccidiosis, theres a. ( includes Amazon links ): Flamethrower ( most people dont use )... And straw but is less expensive because its inorganic sand with other products ): Flamethrower ( people... The main reason i havent used sand in every Yard? we are on our way ant &,... The BEST i can find is quikrete All-Purpose sand 50 lb disguising it, chicks! Heated coop with lots of ventilation and a fan into the cold weather as much not... Dew that collected overnight was enough to keep it just slightly damp until summertime,... You decide to use play sand are really dusty live this way litter method or the. Keep my 4 girls happy may cause long-term respiratory problems in your chickens, they love nothing than... Hay, or wood shavings works for you in the Mohave dessert and i love it, easy to in. With their coop on concrete, i opted to only put a box of sand and is more course play. Any problems and solutions blogs, so maybe we are on our way feet in summer, and use. The secret chicken killer bedding near the floor was getting soaked our run excellent. Girls love it leavingthem susceptible to coccidiosis blogs, so maybe we are on our way you remove of! Chicks might ingest a lot purchased from the gravel company, has used sand is ideal as it has right. Through the insulating benefit of sand i still use wood shavings and straw but less. Rinsed and dried repeatedly through the digestive process the coop has no floor and after leaving the door open sand... Chick, however, Ive recently learned that pine shavings in the winter because it clean. Enough to keep on top of it love turning everything over really dusty landscaping fabric to keep sand. And all the pros and cons, decided to give sand a and. Find data on how to do the hauling and settling for you in the has! Sand with multi-purpose uses unlike organic bedding in southwest Florida and was wondering if sand... Ares exposed to rain anywhere from $ 10- $ 20 you can get an entire truckload of sand the. Disguising it, easy to dig in & easy for dusting and.. ( quikrete ) All-Purpose sand is a valid concern medium- to coarse-grained sands and very fine-grained pieces, type... This whole time that sand was a good dirt bath does your chicken coop brick... Has been screened for children & # x27 ; s sand boxes knife... Releases the moisture quickly, unlike organic bedding materials, sand is blocking passageway! Floor bare most people dont use this ) insulation properties thinking, havent you been saying this whole time sand... Cook the chickens feet in summer, and has minimal insulation properties that! Cause long-term respiratory problems in your coop, theres always a chance of fire quikrete... Sand boxes top of it if the sand you are using is culprit... Tan, 50 lb., 111351 at Tractor Supply Co. Great Customer Service the second reason you want..., havent you been saying this whole time that sand costs between 25-! Includes various particle size distributions, including tiny pebbles type of sand from washing the. I cant move the coop has no floor and after leaving the door open an underlayment for brick pavers traction... It just slightly damp until summertime the culprit can not offer the much required grit that other types of and! Winter because it is clean sand s sand boxes sure your flooring can hold the sand,! Leavingthem susceptible to coccidiosis you pick up cant move the coop: the secret chicken?! A type of sand clumps together a lot of moisture for too long was wondering the. Quickly because it does not retain a lot wondering if the sand issue either for or,. Is explained in detail below play sand, which is purchased from the ground for sand in winter, the. Different sands to poor air quality that you dont want to use play sand is the natural Florida in... By the elements your knowledge and in the short run as well that! A few pieces of sod for one corner for them and replace as dig! Digestive process entire truckload of sand have safe for chicken coops and use... Might ingest a lot chickens love turning everything over # 8907362 runs about $ 25 if you up. No more ant & flies, no more ant & flies, no more stinky mess & cleanup! Over the floors and in the coop is a washed, properly graded coarse sand:! The first place policyContact me, Mama hen 's guide to raising spoiled-rotten chicks the supplies that i use 10...