Pine and Cedar shavings are dangerous

[tbiM20]

Hmmm, I guess my chickens didn't read that chapter in the book....they've been on shavings since day one. The first couple of days I covered them with paper towels until I knew that they were eating well, and yep, they ate a few bits until they figured out that food was in the big container with the holes in it and poop was in the shavings, but all are hale and hardy. I think it's misleading to make a generalized statement like "Pine and Cedar Shavings ARE Dangerous" when simply saying that they "Might" be dangerous would have been more accurate. No one disputes that shavings might be eaten by very young chicks with detrimental effects. They'll also eat anything else that finds it's way into the brooder with the same outcome. New chicken owners have enough to worry about (Am I doing this right? Are they warm enough or too warm? Why are they doing that? What did I do wrong?) without being scared of yet another issue with a slight - slight - potential for problems. When I got my chicks I found a million ways to give myself a guilt complex - not doing that again.

You may find my research interesting [*CLICK*] but yes, they "are" dangerous, though how much so to your particular flock is way, way up in the air. It depends on the other conditions the chicks are in, how healthy they are, how much they breathe, etc. etc. Some will seem just fine with the effects while others develop serious health issues, just like humans when exposed to second hand smoke. It's not a clear-cut never-safe-to-use product, but I think it is good for owners - new and old - to understand the potential hazards.

 

[CityFarmer202]

i believe it on the pine...i am actually allergic to pine shavings.

 

[Blooie]

You may find my research interesting [*CLICK*] but yes, they "are" dangerous, though how much so to your particular flock is way, way up in the air. It depends on the other conditions the chicks are in, how healthy they are, how much they breathe, etc. etc. Some will seem just fine with the effects while others develop serious health issues, just like humans when exposed to second hand smoke. It's not a clear-cut never-safe-to-use product, but I think it is good for owners - new and old - to understand the potential hazards.

I quite agree with you. My only issue is addressed in your key phrase, "potential hazards". There is a great deal of difference between something having the potential to cause harm and something being positively linked in all cases to a substance, which is what the title of this thread says.

Thank you, by the way, for being so courteous in your response to my post. Too many times differences of opinion lead to hostile posts and that never works.

 

[tbiM20]

I quite agree with you. My only issue is addressed in your key phrase, "potential hazards". There is a great deal of difference between something having the potential to cause harm and something being positively linked in all cases to a substance, which is what the title of this thread says.

Thank you, by the way, for being so courteous in your response to my post. Too many times differences of opinion lead to hostile posts and that never works.

Very true, it's definitely not going to be linked to everything. I think chickens have less issue because they don't spend as much time on it, versus, say, small animal pets that spend their entire lives with their faces inches from the shavings.

Heh, no hostility definitely never works

I enjoy a good discussion whether the other person agrees or not. It's how we learn and grow, right?

 

[mebuff daisy]

If pine bedding is bad , What kind of bedding can I use ?

 

[bdfive]

mebuff daisy, I've used deep pine bedding in a 10 by 12 foot peachick house for a couple years now and have had no problems. I have vents I can open and close about 10 feet up on 2 sides of the building and 4 windows I keep open for ventilation. When the compressed bags are opened the smell is a little strong sometimes so ventilation helps it to air out. I have a raised platform setting on top of the pine bedding where I put their feed and water to help keep the wood chips out of feed/water. Before I put it down I put some DE on the floor to help with insects, mostly ants. The bedding goes over it. I also have a door going to an outside run that is same size as the building that stays open during the day but the chicks choose not to go out when they are small.

 

[Blooie]

I use pine shavings exclusively. I used them in the brooder, and now in the coop and the run. No problems whatsoever.

 

[Suzierd]

I will never use wood shavings again since it brought in scaly leg mites. I use sand and I love it.

 

[bdfive]

Suzierd, I've thought of using sand but husband says it's heavy. In my case it needs to go in a 10 by 12 foot building with wood floor. Don't know what difference it makes about being heavy due to floor is actually double plywood and painted. Maybe the work of removing and replacing the sand is what he's thinking about but he doesn't change it out. I do or have hired help. How often do you change yours? How large an area? How many birds using it? Thanks much.

 

[Suzierd]

Suzierd, I've thought of using sand but husband says it's heavy. In my case it needs to go in a 10 by 12 foot building with wood floor. Don't know what difference it makes about being heavy due to floor is actually double plywood and painted. Maybe the work of removing and replacing the sand is what he's thinking about but he doesn't change it out. I do or have hired help. How often do you change yours? How large an area? How many birds using it? Thanks much.

My coops are smaller raised coops with nenolium on the wood floor. You just need a couple inches of coarse washed construction sand not play sand. I change it out once a year and there's not a lot of sand left from cleaning out the poop so its really easy to scrap out what's left and dump new in. In a large area you can use a rake with a little 1/4 inch hard ware cloth wired to it to scoop the poop out. Only takes a few minutes to do it daily my coops are clean and with the sand sticking to the poop my coops don't smell. With a larger area you could get a small truck load and dump it in with a wheel barrel. Here's a could link about sand.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/search?q=Sand