Safe Bedding for ducks/chickens and new chics

With chicks, I put newspaper down the first few days until they understand where their food is, and then I switch to pine shavings. I've never had a problem.

Cedar is not recommended for use as shavings in a coop.  On the other hand, pine shavings seem to be quite good.  Pine shavings seem to be popular for use, based upon reading many posts here.  I use them without any apparent problem with the chickens in the coop or with the chicks in their cage.

Chris

One of the books I read (I'm a complete newbie at this) recommended "Aspen" bedding and said it was safer than pine and cedar.  Other books said pine was fine, but I figured I'd be extra cautious and go with the most conservative recommendations while they are little.  I got a big thing of Aspen at my TSC to use in their brooder.  It is more expensive than the pine bedding, so I figure I'll use it right now while they are in the brooder and much more sensitive.  Once they are bigger and in their coop, I might switch to pine or straw since they won't be in there all the time.  Plus, unlike in their brooder, they will be up on their roosts and not standing in their bedding all the time.

Is this the book you read about chickens and gardens?

Free-Range Chicken Gardens: How to Create a Beautiful, Chicken-Friendly Yard

If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.  Beautiful pictures and great ideas!

Sarah

We've always used bedding pellets from the farm store.  I'm not sure of the brand but I'm assuming TSC would sell it.  We have Wilco out here.  Pine shavings work great also.  I suspect they're literally thousands of people who have raised chicks on the bedding pellets or pine shavings without any issues.  I wouldn't over think it.