More questions about sand

[Rachelz]

We got a while bunch of washed construction sand to put in our new coop (pics below for tax), and now I'm second and third and fourth guessing myself about what we should put in our run. The bag says there could be silica dust, understandable because that's what sand is, and recommends humans use an n95 when working with it, so now I'm nervous. I was planning on doing this everywhere- inside the coop and outside the run. I live in northern illinois. There's a 10x10 outside run area that will be covered in hardware cloth, and a 5x5 semi- outdoor area in the three season room/ loafing shed area. Then a 5x10 indoor coop area. I hope to do sand in the coop for easy cleaning, but have since read that it will be a beast in the winter to rake as it will freeze and be basically a solid block. Thank you community for all of your help! This says it's washed and graded.

 

[The cheek coop]

First, nice coop!
A lot of people use sand in their run area it makes for easy clean up.helps keep the chickens feet clean.
As far as the dust is concerned, after the sand is spread and settles it should be good. You could hose it down and let it dry after spreading it, but that is totally optional.
inside the run will inevitably get wet at some point. The run is under roof from the looks of your pictures and therefore shouldn’t stay wet all the time.
As far as inside the coop is concerned. Your coop looks like it would be dry and safe from the elements so the only thing that would freeze is the chickens poop. In that case the sand shouldn’t freeze inside the coop.
I use deep litter in our coop and love it!
This is my option and is in no way gospel.
Hopefully someone else will comment.
Good luck!

 

[aart]

it will be a beast in the winter to rake as it will freeze and be basically a solid block.

Exactly why I would recommend against using sand.

Do you plan on filling the sunken run area up to the surrounding ground level so it doesn't hold water?

Here's my take on 'cleaning':
What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.

-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.

- Large flake pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.

- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.

Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.

-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 10+ years.

 

[Rachelz]

Do you plan on filling the sunken run area up to the surrounding ground level so it doesn't hold water?

Before we did any building, including the piers, we put in an insane over engineered water drainage system, like 4" drain tile. It is dry as a bone in there quickly even with monsoon rain we got this summer. It's snowed, melted, rained some more (right now) and there is no moisture on the ground in the run. There's a 6 inch to 2 foot deep rock border all around it as well, different because of the grading. We do have visquene around it for winter building, but it has an aggressive overhang, and I think we'll do some visquene in the winter in the future as well. I won't have to decide the run flooring until the spring, just the coop and 5x5 area in the loafing shed now!

 

[MIchickenlady]

We got a while bunch of washed construction sand to put in our new coop (pics below for tax), and now I'm second and third and fourth guessing myself about what we should put in our run. The bag says there could be silica dust, understandable because that's what sand is, and recommends humans use an n95 when working with it, so now I'm nervous. I was planning on doing this everywhere- inside the coop and outside the run. I live in northern illinois. There's a 10x10 outside run area that will be covered in hardware cloth, and a 5x5 semi- outdoor area in the three season room/ loafing shed area. Then a 5x10 indoor coop area. I hope to do sand in the coop for easy cleaning, but have since read that it will be a beast in the winter to rake as it will freeze and be basically a solid block. Thank you community for all of your help! This says it's washed and graded.
View attachment 4014909


View attachment 4014903

if indoor sand (washed construction sand-various size grains) is kept dry, it is great as coop litter-I've used it for years. Outdoors I cannot speak to, but in the coop-great, scoop with kitty scooper at least ev other day & it will be smell free

 

[AGeese]

I think you're looking for washed river sand. You definitely don't want the sicila. I've used playsand (that I washed) in a brooder and in a tub for dust baths, and the amount of dust that gets kicked up in an enclosed area is incredible. Had me weezing for days/weeks.

Any of the fine particle sand is going to get compacted wet and nasty or your going to be cleaning it regularly.

My run is dirt. My coop area in my garage where I have a concrete floor I use flake around their roosts, and straw everywhere else, sometimes a combination.

For my geese I have a vinyl protecting the concrete, and all straw. I throw more on top as needed and the chickens will turn it when the geese are out which helps some.

 

[Rachelz]

We ended up doing sand!

 

[AGeese]

We ended up doing sand!View attachment 4017601

Looks nice, my suggestion is to remove the plates at their age. Will be safer too.

 

[Rachelz]

Looks nice, my suggestion is to remove the plates at their age. Will be safer too.

The heating plates? Its supposed to get to below zero in the next couple of weeks. I know I've read they don't really *need* them and we don't keep them on always but they make me feel better in the super cold days/ nights.

 

[AGeese]

The heating plates? Its supposed to get to below zero in the next couple of weeks. I know I've read they don't really *need* them and we don't keep them on always but they make me feel better in the super cold days/ nights.

Right, in that coop they should be fine as long as there is ventilation (without a draft) to release the humidity that could cause frostbite in such temps. The birds themselves are old enough and feathered well enough to regulate their own heat, and huddle together.

I totally know how you feel though. I'm more paranoid about fires or the girls pecking on cords or outlets, because they like to try everything

If they're used to the heaters and it's going to drop significantly then probably keep the heaters at least for the intrim. But most members on BYC will agree it's not needed. Though some do spoil their birds.