Sand for chicken pen?

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Sand for chicken pen?

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NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 16 2:48 pm Post subject: Sand for chicken pen?
We ahve two outdoor growers pens, which are roofed but the front is open (so weather gets in). We're finding straw just stays damp and is perfect for brewing coccidiosis. Chopped straw / aubiose / etc either blow away or cost a fortune. I wondered if soft sand would be any good as a free draining substrate, or whether young birds would eat it and die horribly somehow?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46233
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 16 5:05 pm Post subject:
not come across it being used,i suspect it would get quite soiled very quickly and be hard to clean. critters do have a habit of finding unusual ways to die but my adult chooks did not seem to eat building sand when they were hunting on a heap of it with a few weeds growing.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 16 9:15 pm Post subject:

I put sand in for my chicks to dust bathe, and the daft things ate the lot. With no apparent ill effects, mind. The quail have some for bathing, and it doesn't seem to need cleaning much. It is kept dry though.

If the straw is getting damp, are the birds getting damp and miserable? Would it be possible to rig up some sort of canopy or awning to keep the wet out in the first place? Forgive me if you've already thought of that and it's not viable for some reason.

john of wessex

Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Posts: 2130

Posted: Fri Jul 29, 16 7:23 pm Post subject:
I raised this last year and now cover my run with a tarpaulin over the winter which keeps birds & straw dry

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Fri Jul 29, 16 8:39 pm Post subject:
Yeah, we are now thinking of a roof extension/"porch". Thanks!

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