Coop sand - smelly?

[pitsandchicks]

I have a raised 12ft x 12ft (might be bigger - definitely not smaller) coop. The floor is stick-on linoleum tile. This week, I switched from deep bedding to sand, after hearing a lot of success and having to remove everything for a mite clean out.

However, I’m already not liking the sand, and I think it may be because I’ve done something wrong. My boyfriend bought “multi-purpose” sand in bags. We spread about 4” of sand on the floor of the coop. I cleaned it the first day, no problem. The second day, I noticed a smell that is specific to one of those local river beaches — nasty, wet sand. Smells nothing like poop, and their poop is cleaned out.

I did notice the sand got a bit wet from some summer rain that came in through the ventilation at the top of the coop (it’s hardware cloth windows).

Any advice about the smell, preventing the smell, etc? Can I just stir up the sand? is it because there’s no drainage for the sand (because there isn’t — it’s a pretty airtight floor). Do I have to get rid of this sand?

This is my second round of chickens and I swear it was so much easier and cheaper last time, and they just lived in the back of a shed and free ranged

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm not a fun of sand, but IIRC, what's recommended is washed construction sand, coarse-grained and free from fine dust.

It only works if kept perfectly dry. Excellent ventilation helps.

 

[aart]

I have a raised 12ft x 12ft (might be bigger - definitely not smaller) coop.

Dang that's big!
How high is it raised...got pics?

We spread about 4” of sand on the floor of the coop.

That's a lot of sand.
How many bags did it take?

Not a fan of sand either, except on the poop boards.
You can never get all the poops out, and yes it will stink when damp.

 

[Kelster65]

I use sand and yes it has a smell when wet. I rake in lime and diatomaceous earth and turn the sand. Still love it though. I don't have bugs, smell (unless wet), no rodents and the ducks and chickens like it.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

I use sand and yes it has a smell when wet. I rake in lime and diatomaceous earth and turn the sand. Still love it though. I don't have bugs, smell (unless wet), no rodents and the ducks and chickens like it.

Can you tell me more about using sand? I'm a first time chicken owner about to build a coop with an integrated run. I live in New Jersey. The coop is 11'w x 3'd. It's covered. There is ventilation toward the ceiling. I was dead set on using deep litter, then went to deep bedding, now want to use sand.

 

[SourRoses]

Can you tell me more about using sand? I'm a first time chicken owner about to build a coop with an integrated run. I live in New Jersey. The coop is 11'w x 3'd. It's covered. There is ventilation toward the ceiling. I was dead set on using deep litter, then went to deep bedding, now want to use sand.

I use sand in two coops, and their runs / yards are all natural, native sand. Our shed coop with a wooden floor we use pine pellets.

The most important thing to think about with sand is it drains down. There is nearly zero evaporation from the surface. It's just like gravel that way.

So the key to whether sand will work is what's underneath it.
In my environment that's more and yet more sand. After torrential rains everything drains off in an hour. That makes sand the perfect substrate here.

It can also work well on top of concrete that's properly graded for drainage.
Or on top of gravel with landscape cloth in between (I use sand on landscape cloth for my back porch chick "run", which keeps everything nice and hasn't caused any problems).

Inside a coop with a solid floor, it really depends if you have any water penetration / spills / and good ventilation. If it does get wet, that water will pool at the bottom, stink, and possibly rot your coop.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

I use sand in two coops, and their runs / yards are all natural, native sand. Our shed coop with a wooden floor we use pine pellets.

The most important thing to think about with sand is it drains down. There is nearly zero evaporation from the surface. It's just like gravel that way.

So the key to whether sand will work is what's underneath it.
In my environment that's more and yet more sand. After torrential rains everything drains off in an hour. That makes sand the perfect substrate here.

It can also work well on top of concrete that's properly graded for drainage. Or on top of gravel with landscape cloth in between (I use sand on landscape cloth for my back porch chick "run", which keeps everything nice and hasn't caused any problems).

Inside a coop with a solid floor, it really depends if you have any water penetration / spills / and good ventilation. If it does get wet, that water will pool at the bottom, stink, and possibly rot your coop.

The coop has a wood floor with linoleum on top. It's elevated. I attached photos.

 

[SourRoses]

The coop has a wood floor with linoleum on top. It's elevated. I attached photos.

For your set up I think pine pellets would work great. Because it's not a walk-in, neither deep litter nor sand would be ideal.
If you use pine pellets at about 1-2 inches deep, you can leave them solid (not wetted down) and they seem to suck the moisture out of poo and keep everything smelling nice. Some people do like to mist the top to make it into a soft surface, I prefer not to. It's totally up to you. But I would totally recommend you try the pellets before anything else. Just don't make it too shallow because they can roll on a hard surface and be slippery.

 

[Ponypoor]

I use sand and yes it has a smell when wet. I rake in lime and diatomaceous earth and turn the sand. Still love it though. I don't have bugs, smell (unless wet), no rodents and the ducks and chickens like it.

I use pine shavings and clean every day. I have a sand box for the gals to fluff around in during the winter when they are stuck in the barn, I don’t have any smell issues, I use Play Sand that one can purchase for kids sand boxes.

 

[R Wind]

May I please join this thread? 6 Rhodes Island Reds.

I appreciate the explanation of sand, need to decide asap what to put in our newly built walk-in 6.5ft by 8ft coop. We're at the stage of adding a piece of vinyl flooring on the raised pallet floor, then roost and nest boxes, ramp and a chicken yard or run or day tractor.

Sounds like we don't want sand as there's no drainage.

Can someone please recommend an article here on bedding and poop boards?