“Sand is the only material to use on the floors of poultry houses.

Clean, dry sand prevents any bacteria

from starting. Clean, sharp sand is the freest from dust and easy to keep clean, as the droppings ay on
top are easily lifed off.” – Charles Weeks, “Egg Farming in California” (1919)

According to studies by the Department of Poultry Science of the Auburn University, sand performs
better [than other media] with lower bacterial count, lower fungal populations and lower moisture.
“Sand, being inorganic, contains few nutrients that could be utilized by bacteria and, thus, would tend to
lead to lower bacterial numbers. Additionally, sand may lack binding sites for bacteria.”

Benefits of sand:

1. Desiccates (dries up) droppings

2. Does not retain moisture (has inherent drainage)
3. Does not decay (as it is inorganic)
4. Fewer flies and other insect activities
5. Less bacterial growth
6. Keeps chicken houses cooler in the summer, but warmer in cold season
7. In inclement weather, sand inside the coop is dry (?)
8. It looks cleaner, is cleaner.
9. Coliform counts (including E. coli) is significantly lower in sand (than in wood shaving)

Sand should be sifted periodically to remove poop. Once a year, remove the sand from the coops, clean
the entire coop, fill with fresh sand. Sand can be washed, dried thoroughly in the sun and reused.

Spread linoleum sheet on top of earth before adding sand for easy cleaning.

A shovel and broom make quick work of the annual task in coops.

Use approximately 4 inches of sand inside the chicken coop (?)

Dropping boards underneath the roost is recommended to minimize droppings inside the coops.
Dropping boards are essentially a shelf that catches droppings produced from chickens roosting a at
night. Dropping boards are scraped off into a bucket, ordinarily first thing in the morning.