Sand, Is it safe ?

[Luv2fly]

So i have 5, 2 week old chicks. Currently i have been using puppy pads in the brooder and just changing them daily. But as they grow and poop more. It is just to messy. I have been reading about people using sand, and scooping it like a cat litter box.
I think i would like to switch to sand but i am afraid they will eat to much of it.
They spill their food and peck at it on the ground and i also throw treats in there on the ground.

* Cute picture of my babies.

Has anyone had sand be an issue like that?

 

[TOMTE]

Sand should be fine. My girls have been on dirt/sand since they were about a week old. Any grains they ingest should be easily passed as long as they're healthy

 

[TOMTE]

Sand does get very smelly very quickly though if you're not cleaning it enough

 

[alinas2010]

Just make sure it’s construction sand, not play sand. Play sand is more fine and could impact their crops if they eat it, construction sand doesn’t. If you’re buying commercially, that is.

 

[alinas2010]

We use sand on our poop tray under the roost and it’s great, (we scoop it every day) but for some reason, even though they have grit available, everyone LOVES to take big ol’ mouthfuls of the poop catch sand before bed must be because it’s close to their bed haha.

 

[TOMTE]

We use sand on our poop tray under the roost and it’s great, (we scoop it every day) but for some reason, even though they have grit available, everyone LOVES to take big ol’ mouthfuls of the poop catch sand before bed must be because it’s close to their bed haha.

It's got seasoning!

 

[Susan Skylark]

I like sand but then again I don’t. It is not absorbent, you end up tossing a lot of soggy stuff with the scooped poop. It gets stinky fast too even with regular scooping. The birds love it: grit, dust bath etc. we went through over 100 pounds in 6 weeks for 12 quail. I use it in the outside hutch as it does occasionally rain here and shavings would be a disaster. It is also heavy. I love it for dairy cows but it is hard on the floors and manure handling equipment. Like anything it has its ups and downs.