Chicken deficient Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 A poultry place I visited, (Thornes), where all the chickens looked really well cared for, recommended using sand as a base in a permanent run. Their runs were covered, which meant that the sand was dry, and the chickens seemed to really like it. They were scratching around in it and making dust baths, and it all looked nice and clean. Has anyone tried it? If you have, what sort of sand did you use? I'm assuming playpit sand would be best, but quite expensive to fill a whole run. I have a bale of Hemcore, which I was planning to use otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I woudl think as well as the expense it would also be harder to keep clean, end up everywhere and be hard work when you needed to replace it - sand is VERY heavy compared to hemcore. Bet it would be fun to see chooks paddling around in though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I cant imagine my chooks in it ALL the time. I would have thought after a while it would start to irritate their feet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Superkate had hers on sand for a while. I know she found cleaning the poo easy! I imagine sand would be a very good ground for the hens. Lovely to dust bathe in. I know I like sand between my toes! I guess it's all personal preference. The hens would be happy with either hemcore or sand. Maybe a section with a bit of sand and a section for hemcore and see how you get on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Sand is fab!! My girls loved it as it's like being in a huge dustbath and they used to make craters all over the place. My run is one with the Eglu housed inside it and we used sand as a base for ages very successfully. The droppings were easy to s"Ooops, word censored!"e up as the sand acts a bit like cat litter and clumps around the droppings. The only reason we changed to wood chippings is because the area they are in gets very waterlogged and claggy so we had to find an alternative which didn't get soggy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 When I moved the shed to build my run for the girls there was lots of sand left in the run and because it was covered it stayed dry the girls love it and like Kate says it is so easy to pick up the poo.........So I would say if the run is covered and going to stay dry then it will work very well, the Hemcore will also be fine, at the moment my run is a mix of the two, and they all love to dust bath in the run especailly if it is raining.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Do they have their own buckets and spades too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Do they have their own buckets and spades too Of course............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UkButton Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I have sand in a seed tray in the run for mine. I brought it out of the run at one point (for a night) and remembered why I had put it in the run in the first place... Cats! you can work the rest out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Do they have their own buckets and spades too Of course............... Hey, you could get them co-ordinating ones to match the eglu oh, but what if they fought over who's was who's..... Ok, ill stop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I can't imagine picking the poo out of an Eglu run on a daily basis but I'm sure sand would be fine in a walk in run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
