using playsand in run

[karlooben]

is playsand to fine to use in the run , shavings is a lot of hassle to sweep up and clean out every few weeks and i always end up with 10 bags of the stuff when i only put 1 down to start of with , i was thinking of just getting a bag of paper chips as that really drys out poos quickly but does blow everywhere { not that i care } and is really soft on there feet or should i just use sand only reason i was wandering if it would be ok is its really really fine i am using it for their dust baths only at present as all other bags of sand were wet but when seeing it on the floor it looks really soft ummm i dont know well i know it will work out pricey but i can get a few bags a week bare soil is to hard on their feet .

 

[Icemaiden]

Hi Karlooben.
The problem with using sand as flooring in the run is that it'll get contaminated with droppings, but won't compost down. How will you clean it, & what will you do with the droppings / sand combination that you remove?

If you cover the run to keep rain off, you can use aubiose on the floor. I use it in the coop, & scatter some on the muddiest bits of the run (mine is only roofed with chicken wire but I'm on chalky ground, so it drains pretty well), where it absorbs the excess water & then breaks down into the grass / soil surface. In the mean time, the hens enjoy scratching around in it.
It's great for absorbing the moisture from droppings too, making them easy to pick up. The droppings / aubiose that I poo pick compost down pretty quickly & make fantastic compost.

 

[karlooben]

I would probably hand pick out droppings each night an rake it over an then just put it on the raised beds but my local bird centre is selling finely chopped straw again so I may try they instead , I have used aubroise and didn't like it .