This is exactly the info that I was looking for. It's gonna be sand for me in the run when I start keeping Chickens next Spring. I'm new to all of this so thank you, it really helps a newbie like me.
This is exactly the info I needed. I got a sample bag of Quikrete all purpose sand which makes clouds of dust with the least bit of motion. Now I know that its probably unwashed. Back to the store I go.
I went to Lowes and got the all purpose in the garden center - I use a mix of sand and pine shavings. Not my choice - but locally we have such ignorance and souring is a chore that has become a pain. But I am managing for now - but really would like to see someone get course grain washed sand. But one dealer locally has the "hand" and no one else wants to ruffle their feathers. So the drama goes, on and I prefer drama free - LOL :-) Lowes All Purpose will have to work for now. BTW I am 32 miles out in a rural area and getting delivery is costly and often non-existent.
Is playsand ok? It’s all I have at the moment. And is it ok to place non toxic pond liner on the ground first above the weeds and then pour the playsand on top of it?
Could you give us a particular name brand or type and where to get it...Im having the hardest time even finding it. I got 6 bags of all purpose sand Quickcrete brand...it seems very fine and no little bits in it. Constriction sand goes by a thousand different names. If you have a link or something specific that would work I might have an easier time finding it. Thanks so much😊
If I was to use sand in our run, that is built on top of an old side driveway (asphalt) that’s next to my shop, which we will build an indoor chicken coop, and run (on dirt floor there) I was hoping to have them on dirt outside to find bugs and worms and compost beddig further but I have this driveway next to where we want to put the coop inside. I’m wondering if sand on top of the asphalt would be sufficient?
Thank you for this info. I can no longer afford straw bedding and the last bale I got was unusable. It was long think and not comfortable. I am in Southern California so it’s warm. Once it get cold in February thru March 🤣, I’ll get some straw for them.
How often to you clean it? Everyday? I already have sandy soil but it get's hot during summer so not sure that would be good on their feet! I thought you meant inside the coop Your link isn't working to find your chicken breed
I just bought a truckload of "white mortar sand" from our local bulk gravel company I don't know if it's washed. I'll call tomorrow & ask, but if it's not, can I wash it at home? how?
You can't wash it at home, unfortunately. Here's a video of how it's washed - th-cam.com/video/8OLH-f9SxRk/w-d-xo.html Washing helps remove the fines. If your sand isn't washed, it'll have more fine grains in it.
My chickens are going to have a decent run area, so I'm just keeping the grass, but I have seen videos where people put sand in the coop, im going to experiment with coconut fibers with mixed in cocopeat that is naturally in the fibers, its PH neutral and seems to be good considering some rich people use it for horse stables, its just a thought considering I'm trying to be as sustainable as possible
@@william9322 I put up a video on this, I tested it in a chick brooder, I believe the video is called free chicken food and bedding, it's on my channel, it passed with flying colors, the peat absorbs the moisture and the fibers ate a dense carbon source that breaks down slower than wood shavings, less material was used, making it perfect.
I only need to rake about every week or so, but it'll definitely depend on how many chickens you have and how big your run is. I could wait longer than a week if I needed to, but I think it's easier to clean more frequently and probably better for my chickens in the long run.
Hi Bri… I have a question not related to this topic but didn’t know where else to ask. I’m enjoying your Guidebook but have not seen this topic covered. My question is…If you have a chick that is suffering and will not get well, rather than let it suffer until death…What is the most humane way to euthanize it? I don’t have a sick chick currently and hopefully never,but I like to be as prepared as possible.
Great question, Marie. I do have plans to cover this topic fully in the future. Short answer is - decapitation is best. If you have someone to help, lay the chick on her side and keep her held down by spreading a dish towel over her and holding at the edges (so your fingers are far away from the knife). Have the second person chop her head off with a butcher's knife. There is no pleasant way to kill a chick, but decapitation will cause the least suffering. If you find you absolutely can't cut your chick's head off because you don't have it in you, use the baking soda method (it kills the chick with CO2 gas). This is less pleasant for the chick than decapitation, but better than letting her suffer. It is very passive for you. Here's a video from Guildbrook Farm that walks you through this process step-by-step - th-cam.com/video/AwsxeCsP6oo/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for your reply. When I asked the question, I didn’t have a sick chick, but have already had to deal with one. I found myself with a very sick super tiny Black Americauna chick. She was the only one from the shipment that I was worried about. She initially seemed ok, but being so small she was pushed around by the others so I feed her by hand and made sure she got medicated water. She just didn’t progress and got to the point she couldn’t stand on her own. If I stood her up, she could and she would walk to my hand hop up and then lay down on my hand and sleep. Initially, I thought maybe it was Starve Out, since they were shipped (2day trip) but she ate well from my hand. I tried Electrolytes in their water, gave her Rapid Relief, Nutridrench and she was just wasn’t recovering, just suffering and I couldn’t stand that. I couldn’t do it so my husband did. I feel like she had something internally wrong because she was so little and didn’t even have the body length the others of her breed have. All the others are doing well and growing. Thanks again for your reply. I hope I never have to deal with euthanizing a chick again, but at least what we did was the correct and most humane way.
@@marieweaver6894 So sorry to hear you had to euthanize one of your chicks, Marie. It's so heartbreaking to see them not doing well. And perhaps even more so when you're not sure why. Thank goodness for husbands to help us out. Mine does all the chicken euthanizing in our household. Best of luck, Marie.
Great sand advice. Stunning location
This is exactly the info that I was looking for. It's gonna be sand for me in the run when I start keeping Chickens next Spring. I'm new to all of this so thank you, it really helps a newbie like me.
Omg your view is gorgeous. It looks like a fake movie backdrop.
This is exactly the info I needed. I got a sample bag of Quikrete all purpose sand which makes clouds of dust with the least bit of motion. Now I know that its probably unwashed. Back to the store I go.
I went to Lowes and got the all purpose in the garden center - I use a mix of sand and pine shavings. Not my choice - but locally we have such ignorance and souring is a chore that has become a pain. But I am managing for now - but really would like to see someone get course grain washed sand. But one dealer locally has the "hand" and no one else wants to ruffle their feathers. So the drama goes, on and I prefer drama free - LOL :-) Lowes All Purpose will have to work for now. BTW I am 32 miles out in a rural area and getting delivery is costly and often non-existent.
Is playsand ok? It’s all I have at the moment. And is it ok to place non toxic pond liner on the ground first above the weeds and then pour the playsand on top of it?
Could you give us a particular name brand or type and where to get it...Im having the hardest time even finding it. I got 6 bags of all purpose sand Quickcrete brand...it seems very fine and no little bits in it. Constriction sand goes by a thousand different names. If you have a link or something specific that would work I might have an easier time finding it. Thanks so much😊
Im having a hard time finding the right sand as well, did you ever get a link or name?
How does sand hold up in the rain? We get heavy rain here in the fall and spring and I worry it may wash away or not dry quickly??
I have an 800 square foot run. You say not to use fine sand but when I used coarse sand my chickens get bumble foot. I don’t know what the answer is.
❤❤❤❤ I enjoyed watching
If I was to use sand in our run, that is built on top of an old side driveway (asphalt) that’s next to my shop, which we will build an indoor chicken coop, and run (on dirt floor there) I was hoping to have them on dirt outside to find bugs and worms and compost beddig further but I have this driveway next to where we want to put the coop inside. I’m wondering if sand on top of the asphalt would be sufficient?
What about pea gravel?
if you can please give a link to a website to pay the best sand for the chickens ?
Thank you for this info. I can no longer afford straw bedding and the last bale I got was unusable. It was long think and not comfortable. I am in Southern California so it’s warm. Once it get cold in February thru March 🤣, I’ll get some straw for them.
Do you have a lot of dust? when I scoop it there is a lot of dust. I use a flea rake.
is Construction sand ok for chickens like the brand QUIKRETE?
How often to you clean it? Everyday? I already have sandy soil but it get's hot during summer so not sure that would be good on their feet! I thought you meant inside the coop Your link isn't working to find your chicken breed
Excellent information. Thank you 😊
Can you use cat litter added to the sand?
Is there another name for Medium- to coarse-grained sand?
I think Bri said it was washed granitic sand and could use limestone sand but not for chicks.
I just bought a truckload of "white mortar sand" from our local bulk gravel company I don't know if it's washed. I'll call tomorrow & ask, but if it's not, can I wash it at home? how?
You can't wash it at home, unfortunately. Here's a video of how it's washed - th-cam.com/video/8OLH-f9SxRk/w-d-xo.html
Washing helps remove the fines. If your sand isn't washed, it'll have more fine grains in it.
My chickens are going to have a decent run area, so I'm just keeping the grass, but I have seen videos where people put sand in the coop, im going to experiment with coconut fibers with mixed in cocopeat that is naturally in the fibers, its PH neutral and seems to be good considering some rich people use it for horse stables, its just a thought considering I'm trying to be as sustainable as possible
Let me know how that goes!
@@thefeatherbrain it will be a while before getting to this point, but I will put a video up when I do it.
@@MosaicHomestead any update on this?
@@william9322 I put up a video on this, I tested it in a chick brooder, I believe the video is called free chicken food and bedding, it's on my channel, it passed with flying colors, the peat absorbs the moisture and the fibers ate a dense carbon source that breaks down slower than wood shavings, less material was used, making it perfect.
can you use cat litter
I thought it was older than that. Old England
How do you maintain? Do you rake everyday after picking up poop? Don't want it to smell.
I only need to rake about every week or so, but it'll definitely depend on how many chickens you have and how big your run is. I could wait longer than a week if I needed to, but I think it's easier to clean more frequently and probably better for my chickens in the long run.
Hi Bri… I have a question not related to this topic but didn’t know where else to ask. I’m enjoying your Guidebook but have not seen this topic covered. My question is…If you have a chick that is suffering and will not get well, rather than let it suffer until death…What is the most humane way to euthanize it? I don’t have a sick chick currently and hopefully never,but I like to be as prepared as possible.
Great question, Marie. I do have plans to cover this topic fully in the future. Short answer is - decapitation is best. If you have someone to help, lay the chick on her side and keep her held down by spreading a dish towel over her and holding at the edges (so your fingers are far away from the knife). Have the second person chop her head off with a butcher's knife.
There is no pleasant way to kill a chick, but decapitation will cause the least suffering.
If you find you absolutely can't cut your chick's head off because you don't have it in you, use the baking soda method (it kills the chick with CO2 gas). This is less pleasant for the chick than decapitation, but better than letting her suffer. It is very passive for you. Here's a video from Guildbrook Farm that walks you through this process step-by-step - th-cam.com/video/AwsxeCsP6oo/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for your reply. When I asked the question, I didn’t have a sick chick, but have already had to deal with one. I found myself with a very sick super tiny Black Americauna chick. She was the only one from the shipment that I was worried about. She initially seemed ok, but being so small she was pushed around by the others so I feed her by hand and made sure she got medicated water. She just didn’t progress and got to the point she couldn’t stand on her own. If I stood her up, she could and she would walk to my hand hop up and then lay down on my hand and sleep. Initially, I thought maybe it was Starve Out, since they were shipped (2day trip) but she ate well from my hand. I tried Electrolytes in their water, gave her Rapid Relief, Nutridrench and she was just wasn’t recovering, just suffering and I couldn’t stand that. I couldn’t do it so my husband did. I feel like she had something internally wrong because she was so little and didn’t even have the body length the others of her breed have. All the others are doing well and growing. Thanks again for your reply. I hope I never have to deal with euthanizing a chick again, but at least what we did was the correct and most humane way.
@@marieweaver6894 So sorry to hear you had to euthanize one of your chicks, Marie. It's so heartbreaking to see them not doing well. And perhaps even more so when you're not sure why. Thank goodness for husbands to help us out. Mine does all the chicken euthanizing in our household. Best of luck, Marie.
May I ask what state you're in? I like the topography in the background!
Horseshoe Bend, Idaho
Could you share a link to the pooper scooper you use?
It's a cat box scooper
It looks like the Petmate Metal Cat Litter Scoop.
@@watchyelamp2771 thank you for a useful reply! :0)
is use kids play sand for sand boxes for kids it that ok for chickens ?
I have the same question.
❤