Sand

[dawg53]

I need sand in my pens. Hards rains most of the year have beat the sand into the soil. Additionally scooping poop 2 or 3 times a day adds to the removal of sand over time. I've given away almost 2 truckloads (2 cubic yards) of sand mixed with poop and pine shavings to an older fellow that needed it for fertilizer which has been a great help getting rid of it. 
Yesterday after coming back from fishing, I went to our local landscaping place not far from our house and ordered 5 cubic yards of sand, that's their minimum order for delivery. They will deliver it this Thursday. It cost me $173. If I had ordered 18 cubic yards of sand, the price wouldve been the same. The problem being they wouldve used a much bigger dump truck which wouldve cracked or caved in our driveway. I think 5 cubic yards of sand is more manageable. Besides, the neighorhood cats wont have much of a chance using the sand as their personal litter box lol.
A total of 3 cubic yards will be needed right away in the pens. I plan to move the leftover sand to the back yard and put it on a tarp, then cover it with another tarp for future use.
Unloading sand from my truck was getting to be a pain in my back, literally...not to mention the heat.

[dawg53]

Since I'm getting sand delivered Thursday morning, this morning I decided to remove all the pavers and bricks from the main pen and the smaller pen. I thoroughly washed all of them and now they are all clean.
I didnt realize I had so many bricks and pavers in the pens. Needless to say it was a dirty, hot, and sweaty job.
I wont be putting them all back in the pens, that's for sure...time for some rearranging.
The first pic are the bricks and pavers removed from the smaller Barred Rock pen. The second pic are the bricks and pavers removed from the larger Brat Pack pen.

[seminolewind]

Everything with chickens and Florida is a smelly hot humid job . A sweat band really works well to keep sweat out of the eyes.

[dawg53]

Sept 19, 2018 10:31:28 GMT -5 seminolewind said:

Everything with chickens and Florida is a smelly hot humid job . A sweat band really works well to keep sweat out of the eyes.

Heheheh I wear two of them and carry a rag to wipe my face and clean my glasses. My clothes are soaked afterwards, even my drawers lol.

[seminolewind]

Yes, I must go through 3 pair of drawers a day when working outside, LOL. Everything is soaked. I can't imagine moving sand in this heat. I scrubbed 6 waterers today and that was enough. Oh, and loading feed into cans was really over kill.

[dawg53]

I'm dreading moving the sand this morning, but it's gotta be done. I have a lawn tractor and a big dump cart to haul the sand from the front yard to the back yard. Then I have to shovel the sand out of the cart and into a wheelbarrow. Then push the wheelbarrow full of sand into each pen, dump it, and repeat as necessary. Then I have to level it out with shovel and rake, then put the pavers in place as needed.

The only thing I'm worried about is if the sand is wet. If it's wet, that means it's heavier. That means only half loads in the wheelbarrow, effectively doubling my work hauling the sand into the pens:(

The dump truck will be here at 9:30, I told the lady to make it at 9am and I gave her a dozen eggs lol. She said she'd make it happen. We'll see if I get sheistered. (I tried talking her into getting the sand here at 5am lol, but that would fly hahaha.)

I do my utmost to get things completed before noontime, like the front yard yesterday, I wrapped it up just before noon, I'm just wore out afterwards. My age is catching up with me and I know it. I might end up hiring someone to mow and weedeat the front yard in the future...if it wernt for the heat and humidity, it would be no problem.

I scrub 2 waterers about every other change out, soon to be three waterers. Feeders on the other hand, I clean them maybe once a month if they start looking bad. I bought a utility deep sink and put it in the main pen. I need to rig up a hose to it. There will be no more hauling waterers half way around the back yard.

Speaking of feeders, they have these new green feeders now that have a lip on them to prevent birds from scooping feed out with their beaks. They are inexpensive, $7.50 for a large one and I love them! I love them so much that I bought 5 of them lol.

[dawg53]

No sand yet. Called the company and they are out delivering concrete and the sand wont be here until later. I'm not happy. I've had everything ready since early this morning and was told the dump truck would be here at 9:30. See pics:

[seminolewind]

So you can't back the utility trailer down to the pen? Or get the sand dumped in your truck and back up to the pen?

[dawg53]

Sept 20, 2018 12:02:16 GMT -5 seminolewind said:

So you can't back the utility trailer down to the pen? Or get the sand dumped in your truck and back up to the pen?

 I have the carport (boat port) there at the gate, remember? I cant get the truck back there. I can get the lawn tractor and dump cart back there, no problem.
The guy delivered the sand just before noon. I got started and finished the Barred Rock's pen just over 5 hours later. I'm flat wore out, sore head to toe. I took a hot bath and soaked in the tub to help with the soreness. I fell asleep in the tub for 20 minutes!
I took a Celebrex and it's helping. 
I'll be back at it at daylight in the morning.
Here's some pics. The sand was 5 cubic yards, I think I moved one third of it into the Barred Rock pen, took a good chunk out of it anyway.

[dawg53]

More pics:

[dawg53]

I'm up early ready to start on my sand special project. I'm hoping to be done with it by noon time. Then on Monday I'll hit the final pen, the biggest of the three pens where the Brat Pack are located. Fun and games!

[seminolewind]

I remember in NY getting 5 yards of sand every year for the horse area. Really helped nice but only lasted a year before it needed refreshing. It really cuts down on the odor as well.

[seminolewind]

Question. How do you all feel about those plastic sheds? Any benefit with cold weather?

[dawg53]

I dont think I'd want one. The summer heat might warp them. Not sure though, never owned one.

[dawg53]

Back to moving sand this morning. The guy across the street is going to help me. I still have about 3 cubic yards of sand to move into the last chicken pen which is the largest of the three pens. I should have one cubic yard of sand leftover hopefully. I'll be glad when I'm done with this special project. I want to go fishing!

[dawg53]

I'm completely done with the sand project! Glad that's over with.
Next up is building the new coop. At least I can take my time with it, no hurry.

[seminolewind]

OMG! That's alot of sand! I hope it last you a long time!

[dawg53]

Sept 25, 2018 11:48:39 GMT -5 seminolewind said:

OMG! That's alot of sand! I hope it last you a long time!

I hope it lasts a long time too! It was all the hard rains we had for several months just about every day that beat the sand into the ground. It "should' last a long time without the hard rains. 

[seminolewind]

I may need sand where I'm at if I move. Luckily, a delivery would have lots of access.

[seminolewind]

I'm thinking about sand in the horse stall. It would surely cut down on the amount of shavings.