Sand bedding controversy: Dream come true or perfect nightmare?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ค. 2024
- You know the controversy. Sand is either the BEST chicken coop bedding ever and you're a monster if you don't use it, OR sand is the WORST chicken coop bedding ever and you're a monster if you do use it.
You always hear claims in total opposition to each other. For instance, one "expert" says sand is dangerously high in pathogens, whereas another "expert" says sand is very low in pathogens. Who's right?
In this video, you'll learn why the online chicken "experts" are divided into two camps (hint: it's politics, not science) and you'll learn the real truth about sand bedding.
My article on how to use sand in your coop - www.thefeatherbrain.com/blog/...
My article on the research about sand bedding for chickens - www.thefeatherbrain.com/blog/...
Here is the Hobby Farms article I break down in this video - www.hobbyfarms.com/the-great-...
00:00 The sad state of sand bedding info
01:13 The truth (it's politics, not science)
04:24 Hobby Farms makes a lot of claims about sand.
05:51 Claim #1 Sand doesn't compost.
06:00 Claim #2 Sand stinks!
07:25 Claim #3 Sand causes crop impaction.
11:12 Claim #4a Sand will burn your chickens in the summer.
12:50 Claim #4b Sand will cause frostbite in the winter.
16:58 Claim #5 Sand is riddled with pathogens.
20:38 Claim #6 Your chickens only need 1/4 inch of sand.
21:17 Claim #7 Predators can burrow into sand bedding coops.
21:48 The VERY WORST thing about sand in your coop
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Before getting chickens 7 years ago I went back and forth on what bedding to use. 7 years later i can tell you ,The best decision I ever made regarding chickens is going with sand it is awesome. Poop disappears no smell, very little flies. The Maintenance is minimal, I love it
In florida, sand isn't optional. Having kept chickens for over a decade on this fine sandy dirt, both under their roosts and in their 2000sq ft pen, I still don't know how every poop on the ground manages to disappear within 12 hr... Only now that I'm watching this am I grateful to live in a giant litterbox!
I have the same wonder - where does all the poop go in the run? Maybe the sand dries it up and it just comes apart and mixes in....
Thank you for confirming my strong stand on using sand! I am a huge fan and follower of The Chicken Chick, Kathy is who I initially learned about the use of sand for chicken litter.. sand rules!!!
Excellent video! I have always we used sand in our coop in Alaska, a layer of 3-4 inches is actually very insulating.
I will always use it. I use a mix of all purpose sand and a larger grain called traction sand.
Hen saddles! Protects their backs from all the chicken sex they've been having. I have a video on it here - th-cam.com/video/HvuZbSh-WE0/w-d-xo.html
My four hens live in a giant kitty litter box! Just kidding! I have an Eglu henhouse attached to a 9' x 13' walk-in run which has several inches of sand in it. Every morning I go through with a little dog poo rake and scoop up all the "clumps". Just like a kitty box! My hens do not have to live in poo! And no smell!
Btw, we had a horrible summer here in Texas. Temperatures got over 110 degrees for weeks at a time. My run is well shaded, and every afternoon, I wet down the sand along one side of the run. My girls would run over and stand on it and stop panting. The cooling evaporation of the sand was enough to bring their body temperatures down.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with sand ! I live in the Texas Hill Country & this information is tremendously helpful for me
@@aliciaspears7847 Awesome! I just went out and wet down the girls' sand. Even the sparrows are panting in this heat!
I believe it ! It's so bad right now ! I'm really glad the sand is working for your girls 😄
Good scientific look at this subject. I have used sand, straw and shavings. I prefer pine shavings, as I have show chickens and if they go to a show, usually they have pine shavings in the exhibition cages and I want to keep that familiarity for them. It is too bad that people take this kind of thing so personal. Either way, bedding and coops needs to be kept clean.
I just love this video! It answers all there is to know about using sand for your coop and run needs. I have been trying to educate myself best I can on the care of chickens as we will be first time chicken parents in about a week. It's been exhausting sifting through all the information with such different approaches!! My head is just so full of information almost to the point where I'm confused lol. I just stopped at our local landscaping company and they have what is called concrete sand. Is does not pack down and is full of aggregate like little pebbles and rocks of various sizes. I was told that a lot of locals get it delivered once or twice a year for their coops and runs. I would love to send you a picture to see what you think. Sand is our choice for our covered, shaded run and coop. We have morning sun for a few hours and afternoon shade. Thank you for the video tutorial!!
Have you heard of Magnum Pellets ... horse bedding ...a Sharpes farm product. It is 100% Organic spruce & pine, put through a process of drying & compressing it into eraser-size bits, resulting in sterile, pleasant smelling pellets. We have used this as an alternative kitty litter . We are in the process of researching bedding for Chickens as well as Bunnies.
We do deep method of straw & pine shavings in the winter & completely remove it all & repaint interior with white paint for the summer, and the cool sand goes down.
This works!
They love the warm soft pine shavings & straw in the winter as it create warmth (plus we heat the winter coop, keeping it at a minimum of 40°).
And boy do they love the sand in the hot weather!! (They also have a dust bath area with diatomaceous).
You are my go-to person now!! What incredible content. I am brand new to chickens. Thank you so much. Where do you get the kind of sand you are talking about? What is it called? Thank you again!!
Your videos are so great and the info seems better than anything else out there. My kids have loved learning from you. Would be even cooler if you made a series just for teaching kids. :)
Hi there! First of allow me to state that 'Boy, am I glad I found your channel!' Why? Well because of all those extremities in conflicting arguments about sand. I got so fed up with it and thought that something is so amiss about all this -- well, now I know. The two factions are at war with each other, and thus misinformation about sand is freely thrown around to deter others from using it.
I can only get my hands on River Sand, which is coarser than fine sand, however, I am wondering if this is good enough. I'll be laying this type of sand on top of 6 inches of drainage gravel for drainage, and then top the coop off with another 6 inches of River Sand on top of the gravel.
Would love to hear your take on my method... Thank you in advance and all, and for sourcing those academic research links for our informative and collective consumption, miss!!
Cheers, from Australia and all! 👍
I use coarse sand in loft where they roost at night and have nesting boxes.The bottom part of the coop is dirt. Sometimes I throw dried leaves or straw on the dirt for scratching. Every week I rake up the leaves or straw and actually throw it out for mulch or sometimes in the yard waste trash can. Replace with clean or maybe nothing. Sometime shredded paper too. They love it! Keeps them busy until let out to forage. The sand cleans feet before walking to nests. Also under the roost bar the sand is good with a large cat litter scoop daily to clean the night droppings. I love coarse sand for my chickens. Never thought about the sand in the nest. Great idea for hot FL weather. Thanks for your great information, Chicken Whisperer.✌️
I have used shavings, sand, and fescue hay. My chickens have done well with all 3. No complaints on any of those. Not lost a chicken yet!
Love your videos! Just to give you a little heads up on my situation, I’ve been raising Sebright Bantams in the same coop/run for 4 years. They are prisoners. I don’t let them out fearing predators and neighbors cat and dogs. I live in Southern Illinois, drastic weather swings here. The run is complete concrete(was an old kennel). I keep sand/shaving combination on it. There’s always bare concrete visible. My chickens have never been frost bit. It’s gotten -45 here in the winter.
Rank beginner here, but I did a lot of research before deciding which bedding to use for my hatchlings brooder.
I decided that I had to try contractors sand (it’s pre-washed) and have not regretted the decision in the least.
Odor is minimal IF I do a thorough clean every other day, and cleanup is SO easy!
I put the sand through an old window screen and what doesn’t go through the screen (poop and spent crumble) is composted after I suck it up in the small utility vacuum that I use only for this purpose.
A kitty litter scoop works well for a quick spot clean.
My chicks are all healthy and happy. They get lots of handling and petting, and they all thank me and tell me I’m a flocking genius!
You are a flocking genius lol! Great idea with the window screen for smaller chick poops!
Wonderful information!
Thank you for this video. 👍
Thank you so much for this video
Sand and a big fenced compost pile for em to dig through and i honestly think the majority of the run sand looses the risk of dust as is gets rained on and dries a few times I'd imagine it'd only really be a problem in an inclosed shed type set up where they get no fresh air
I put sand under my roost. I have a cat litter scoop and scoop it. The rest of the coop is wood chips. Really no problems 😊
I was flipping back and forth on using fine pine shaving or sand, I ended up using the pine shaving for no main reason but I also put dirt on the floor so I wouldn't have to give each of my birds a dust bath in the winter because I have 59 chicks right not and will be getting 55 more this summer. I was looking at cost for both for how much I would need to cover 5'x22' and how often I would have to change it out per yr. Weather I was right or wrong this was the choice I made
We have tried sand and deep litter. One thing that my wife and I have noticed is that the smell is different when using each method. She does not smell much of anything when using sand, but it stinks to me. I can't smell much when using the deep litter method, but it stinks to her. We don't often think of differences in the sense of smell, but for us, this was an extreme difference.
Is great video very sensible!!
Great video.
This reminds me of the houseplant groups. Ultimately, there is NO RIGHT OR WRONG way to handle your coop and chickens so long as they are healthy. As with houseplants, it depends on multiple factors to determine each situations best approach.
Future chicken parent here! Doing all my research and reading on chickens and chicken care and stumbled on you’re channel
This is relieving on sand
You said you get yours from a quarry
So regarding river sand I can just go out and gather it?
I live in Montana so no Play Sand or beach sand
And so just trying to find the right bedding
Could adding straw for winter on top of the sand be ok?
I wanna put the sand in the run under the shaded area I’ll have for them from the coop and leave the rest natural
I believe hemp is the best bedding for your coop. Based on 4 yrs of using it, it is by far better than straw or sand etc. Have you ever tried hemp? The pros far outweigh any cons.
I have not used hemp in my coop, but I have used it in my brooder. I like to call hemp "catnip for chicks." My little chicks went absolutely nuts in the hemp! They foraged vigorously in it for hours every day, appearing to be in a state of euphoria. I had several beddings out for them to use (in a camping tent brooder), and they definitely favored the hemp for play and the shredded paper for resting.
I personally would never use anything but sand in my coop though. Sand is so easy and so clean and so low in moisture and pathogen growth, I could never go back to organic bedding of any type. I do agree that hemp can be a wonderful bedding type too and is clearly very enjoyable for chickens.
Is sand good to use in the chicken run area?
Yes - I now use it in all of mine. I have a short video about sand in the run here - th-cam.com/video/g2kqVmaeCt4/w-d-xo.html
It's best if you can cover the run so it stays dry during snow/rain and to protect it from the heat during summer.
Our chicks arrive in 9 days. Based on my own research, along with several YT channels (including this one 😊) we’ll be using hemp in the brooder, and sand in the coop and run. Our soil here in N Wisconsin is sandy, so it’s an easy choice.
Is this good sand to use for dust bathin Eco Terra riverbed bed sand
Does the climate dictate which is the best choice for bedding?
Hot or cold, South or North locations?
Sand is going to be your driest and most pathogen-free bedding in any climate. However, if your run is mainly uncovered and you live in a hot climate, sand may get too hot. So, in some circumstances, environment will determine which beddings are more suitable than others.
is Construction sand ok for chickens like the brand QUIKRETE?
I want to try the newer coffee bedding but it isn't in my area yet.
I want to leave a question concerning sand, cause I am still confused, I use all natural play sand, now is this a compacting sand or a good sand ?? They just peck at it once in a while.. I use it for grit and litter...I also use DE ( diatomaceous earth), FOOD GRADE, in the sand, for bacteria....I still don''t get it.. sorry, hagd.
I use wheat straw been using it for I think about a year now. I have 19 chickens and I'm getting 8 eggs A-day in the Winter. So I think straw works. But if you want to use sand go for it I'm not on either side. To me straw is cheaper or else I probably would have gone with Sand but they're constantly scratching which would dig the sand into the ground and then you would lose it can get muddy . The straw keeps their feet dry for the most part and it dries out really quick.
I did have to replace the sand in my run this year because it had spread out into the ground so much from weather, gravity (my run is sloped away from the coop), and the chickens scratching around. My coop has a wooden floor, so I don't lose any sand there. But I agree many different bedding types can work depending on your circumstances and priorities.
@@thefeatherbrain Yes I agree as well=)
with more dust with sand, how much and what type of venting is best to air things out without causing too much of a draft in the winter. 8x12 walk in coop thank you!
I only have trouble with dust when I'm cleaning the coop - I ALWAYS wear a mask and when I deep clean, I put a box fan in the door facing outwards to remove some of the dust. Otherwise, I've found my sand is significantly less dusty than organic bedding and I've actually drastically DECREASED my ventilation in the winter. I do, however, scrape poop off of droppings trays every morning and spot clean so the amount of poop in my coop is super low, which is the other reason I get away with less ventilation.
I thought because they roost, they don’t need bedding at all, that what they need is litter? It seems these words are used interchangeably, but that it frequently contributes to the confusion of others. 😅
For cold winter climates - does the sand freeze solid in the winter? Would I be able to still rake it to clean up? I’m tired of the spring cleaning the deep bedding 😂
If you have a dirt floor and enough moisture comes up through the ground into the bedding, it could freeze. But if your coop has a wood floor (or plastic, or whatever), your sand will stay dry and unfrozen because no moisture is being added.
In the run would it be appropriate to use sand as a base and for bedding during the summer then add straw and wood chips in the winter to help with warmth?
Yes, that's a wonderful idea. In our current run, we did exactly that and the chickens LOVE it. :)
There's no quartz in Hawaii beach sand. It's coral and Lava. Coral would be like giving them glass
Does any body have any tricks to teach your chickens to sleep on the roost bars, it's been about 2 weeks that I have been placing a few of my chickens up on the roost bars at night because I have 59 chickens. I have gotten about 20 of them to stay up on the bars after I place them and they do pretty good at sleeping where I put them but they are not going up by themselves, any suggestions?
I honestly don't have chickens yet, but I watch a lot of videos. One suggestion I saw was that chickens don't see very well especially when it's starting to get dark. The tip was to put a light in the coop, on a timer & see if that helps. It's worked for a lot of people. A half hour or so of light might make all the difference.
I believe it's supposed to be an LED and not fluorescent light. Hopefully, you have already done a solution, but if not, this may help
#teamsand
What would you recommend to put down in a run?
I use sand in my runs. I am able to keep it fairly dry through the winter, but if it does start to freeze, I use a broad fork to break it up.
Here's more on the sand I use in my runs - th-cam.com/video/g2kqVmaeCt4/w-d-xo.html
I have had one chicken impaction issue it's because the goober head broke into an out building a tore up and ate a ton of styrafoam board she's my very stupid yet adventurous girl 🤦 I was able to save her anyway and we fixed it so she can't get back in and styrafoam goes into a locked garbage bin etc.
where do you get the sand you use?
I got mine from a local gravel company.
@@thefeatherbrain WHAT about getting sack of play sand and pea gravel at lowes or home depot and mixing them together I have seen both at one those - I been using pine shaving until about a year ago and it had a stink problem I have been using hay - it stay in the boxes better and does not get stinky the pine shaving the hens seem to kick out their box and I had to add it weekly the hay I have to add it about 3-4 week just adding enough to puff it it up, it seem the hen enjoy it better - what do you do for a sand box for the chicken to bath in they have spots in the yard they use I would like to have a box to add sand and DE in so they can keep the bugs off of them also all my chickens are free ranged and are locked you at night I been keeping chicken now for 6-7 years you do a good job on you tube video better than most and receive your emails
@@bobschallalcs584 Mixing play sand with pea gravel would be safer than play sand alone. However, do make sure the pea gravel is small enough you can still clean the poop out of your sand. In a small coop, I use a cat litter scoop to clean poop out. The sand sieves through, the poop doesn't. In a large coop or run, some people use a rake. My husband built a sieve-type box and shovels the sand in. And honestly, I don't do much cleaning of sand at all in the run, but we do clean the sand in the coops every 2-4 weeks.
You want to make sure your pea gravel can sieve through your cat litter scoop, otherwise, you'll have no way to remove the poop from the gravel.
I don't use a separate sand box for dust bathing. My chickens dust bathe in their sand bedding. When I let them out for supervised free ranging, they like to make their own dustbath holes in the dirt.
Oh ya, people with strong opinions. They are so easy to offend. Makes punkrock easier than ever
You state sand is dry-what if it isn't though? Wet sand gets stinky.
Don't put wet sand in your coop. Wait for it to dry out - you want it totally dry when you put it in your coop. Once in your coop, it shouldn't be getting wet.
I also suggest amending the Sand with some bagged top soil or even Evergreen Soil Conditioner. (Pine bark fines). Play sand holds too much moisture. Construction sand aggregate has clay in it which helps absorb urine, odor.
I've had chickens for 13 years. In the beginning I used pine shavings in the coop, and the run was natural dirt. I live in central Florida, and my ground is sandy dirt. It can be very mucky when wet, muddy sandy slop basically. About a year in, I had a huge load a "white beach sand" delivered, which I put in my runs, about 3-4 inches deep. 2 runs, connected with a tunnel...long story. The runs looked like beaches when I was done! It was really neat looking.
Fast forward to today... The sand is still going strong, though no longer white. Best thing I could have done!! I never have mud, no matter how many inches of rain falls. Tropical storms and hurricanes...my chickens never have to walk through water or mud. Just well settled wet sand...like the beach. When it's dry, it's soft and comfortable for them to walk on.
About 18 months into chickens, I removed the shavings from the coop and replaced it with sand also. I was getting too many cases of bumble foot from them jumping down from the perches and getting small splinters in their feet. Never had any further issues with bumble foot. I've also never had flies or bad smell issues...ever!! My neighbors run REAKS terribly during rainy season...has his on natural dirt. It smells sooo bad that I hate going near that part of my yard after it rains a lot.
I'm 100% in favor of using sand in runs and coops. The sand I've had for 12+ years is basically the same as play sand...very fine. Hope this is helpful/useful info.
Just like think what was around nature 100 years ago
I see you have switched from sand now, on your latest video. Could you update here as to why? No hate, just interested. I understand this video is 2 years old and things change! 😊
I actually do still use sand in my chicken coop and I can't imagine ever switching to anything other than sand inside.
I have recently switched my run bedding from sand to straw and aspen shavings. I'm actually editing a video on the reason why right now and should be releasing it soon.
The short answer - sand is still an excellent run bedding and works wonderfully for many people. I no longer use it because my chickens are enclosed in their run all winter long - the organic bedding is more comfortable in the winter (both softer and warmer because the sand in the run does get cold and compacted during the winter) and I like to throw food in their bedding for them to forage for to keep them busy. Foraging is easier in the soft, dry bedding during the winter and I also don't like the idea of them foraging all day in sand even when it is dry as it's dusty when it's dry when they kick it up and it's not good for their lungs long-term to inhale all that dust. Lastly, my new run is almost completely protected from snow and rain so I don't have to worry about their run bedding getting wet. If the run was getting wet from the weather, I'd likely still be using sand for cleanliness purposes.
@@thefeatherbrain Thanks! Looking forward to the new video 🐓
Sawdust is good
Lol oh yes chicken politics make starting out hard 😂😂😂😂 from experience the deep bedding method is disgusting if you like filth and bacteria I suppose it's great, straw is not good. Coffee bedding I loved moving into sand now as coffee bedding is impossible to keep in stock.
Have you used any odorizer etc with your sand?
Moisture causes frostbite sand shouldnt be an issue they roost
🙃☝☝☝☝
not to be a Karen... but it is pronounced "pie-ka" disease.. not peek-a.
Thank you for the correction. :)
Group think is dangerous 😳
Wow = if people are teaming up-arguing over bedding for pigs with feathers (I love my chickens, don't get me wrong), they have way way too much time on their hands and should get off their asses and get their own chickens. For the record, chickens eat bugs, dirt, sand, straw, hay, poop, mold, Mycelium and lots of other things we can't see. If you like sand (or your ground is made of it like mine), use it. If you like straw or pine or hemp... use it and MYOFB.
OT side note: I broody hen raise chicks - wonder what the dividers would think about them running around in 40 degree weather at 3 days old. Chickens are way more durable than people want to believe, and if some aren't they should be culled not coddled. Weak flocks are a huge problem and won't do anyone any good down the road. Stop messing with natural selection and you'll have an amazing, strong and hardy flock.
Hands down, the best content I've seen in a long time
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