Sand best option for damp concrete run?

[HCBeck]

I just moved my 5 week old hens into their coop and run over the weekend. The coop is raised with a wood floor so I use pine shavings and its nice and dry and fine. The covered run has a concrete floor and the first night and day it rained and I did not have gutters so the rain dripped down the hardware cloth and the pine shavings got wet. I cleaned it all out because no matter how much I sifted and mixed it throughout the following days, it would not dry out. I had gutters installed today. I hesitate to add pine shavings back in and have been thinking about adding a layer of pebbles and then construction sand over top. I'm in Maryland and we've had an unusual amount of rain over the past year so I'm anticipating the concrete retaining some dampness. Even though the gutters will solve the "flooding" I had, I know I will always have some moisture on the floor after rain so my hope is with sand it will offer the fastest drying time out of all the bedding options. Does anyone have any experience with using sand or other bedding on a concrete run? Thanks!

 

[el polo froggo]

I suggest getting them bedding- it’s easier to dig in and will be harder to accidentally eat. I got a whole 30 pounds at Tractor Supply.

 

[aart]

It doesn't matter if the run gets wet, as long as it can dry out again.
If there's standing water that can't drain on a concrete slab that's not good, with only 2 sides open and a roof(so little to no sun to help dry) could cause mold growth or at least odor.

Tough location there...is the rain water coming in where the house window(?) leaves a gap?
Keeping the rain water out and/or removing the wet part of the bedding is about your only choice in that location.

 

[Folly's place]

Sand will stay wet and be much heavier to move around. Use shavings, and manage the water issues.
Mary

 

[HCBeck]

It doesn't matter if the run gets wet, as long as it can dry out again.
If there's standing water that can't drain on a concrete slab that's not good, with only 2 sides open and a roof(so little to no sun to help dry) could cause mold growth or at least odor.

Tough location there...is the rain water coming in where the house window(?) leaves a gap?
Keeping the rain water out and/or removing the wet part of the bedding is about your only choice in that location.

Thanks for the replies! No the garage side of the run is dry. No water comes in where the roof and garage meet. The water seeps in at the two front corners on the floor. No big puddles or standing water, just damp-wet. The chickens seem to like the rain coming in at the section under the coop because it brings dirt and bugs. I've been keeping the bedding away from the other corner where the rain barrel is when I know it's going to rain. My husband was thinking about using plastic sheeting in the corners. Obviously it'd still be damp under the plastic but away from chicken feet and bedding. Like I said, there's no standing water. It just gets damp enough to wet the pine shavings. But I've moved all the bedding away from the corner this weekend and the concrete is damp there but no puddles. We do get sun all day on the coop and run as it is south facing but we haven't been getting enough of sunshine. It's been a pretty dreary 7+ days. Think plastic sheeting hidden under bedding might work?

 

[Ghosty]

What if you covered the open end, and just leave the front open?

 

[aart]

The water seeps in at the two front corners on the floor. No big puddles or standing water, just damp-wet.

Ahhh, good details.
Is the water seeping in along the concrete and under the wall framing, or coming in thru the mesh walls?
If no standing water, I wouldn't worry too much about a bit of damp bedding in a chicken run.

 

[HCBeck]

Ahhh, good details.
Is the water seeping in along the concrete and under the wall framing, or coming in thru the mesh walls?
If no standing water, I wouldn't worry too much about a bit of damp bedding in a chicken run.

It seeps in along the concrete and under the wall framing. Occasionally with wind the rain may spray through but it is minimal and minor. The pine shavings look so gross and do nothing for absorption so I wondered if wood chips would handle the water better and since they're more substantial in weight and size they would look better too. After hearing about wet sand and smell, I've eliminated that idea.

 

[aart]

It seeps in along the concrete and under the wall framing. Occasionally with wind the rain may spray through but it is minimal and minor. The pine shavings look so gross and do nothing for absorption so I wondered if wood chips would handle the water better and since they're more substantial in weight and size they would look better too. After hearing about wet sand and smell, I've eliminated that idea.

Might be able to stuff something under the run wall to stop the seeping.
Could even caulk from outside....if you ever get a long enough dry spell.
Yes, larger wood chippings will work better than pine shavings.

 

[Ghosty]

Is it seeping in around all sides? Sandbags maybe? Till it dries and you can caulk it up and add some hardwood mulch to the bottom. What about a drainage ditch filled with gravel in the asphalt all the way around the edge of the run. I see now it isn't asphalt, but concrete. Maybe some drains in key areas around the run.