I don't want to beat a dead horse on this subject but have read conflicting ideas on bedding. I started out with pet ducks and always used hay or straw. Worked well with deep laying for warmth. I added chickens and continued to use the same bedding. On this forum I read about pine shavings and switched to them and found them to be clean and easier then straw to change out and it seemed to be sess smelly. I recently read in a book about gardens and chickens that pine and cedar (never used cedar) shavings have a volatile chemical - phenol something or other and some other not-so-nice stuff. What do you all think about that? I am picking up my new chicks in about a month and I don't want to poison them. At this time I am thinking of using straw to be on the safe side. Opinions, please Thanks
