- Feb 1, 2013
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Yahoo! Finally somebody agrees with me. If my hens are perfectly healthy and lay well, any harm the shavings are causing is non consequential.I realize I'm resurrecting an older thread here, but this whole cedar vs pine thing really gets to me, and the quoted question is just perfect. If cedar is harmful, it is impossible to believe that pine is safer than cedar. I'll reference a post I made previously here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...s-build-a-coop-need-your-help/20#post_5919671
First, and most importantly, BOTH pine and cedar shavings contain acids that can irritate the respiratory system. If you are going by the actual research used in the stand against shavings, PINE is actually more harmful than cedar.
All the research papers quoted regarding humans and respiratory diseases from pine/cedar have been occupational exposure to the fine dust produced by timberworkers and sawmill workers.
In rats, studies have shown that wood shavings are not inert and can cause immune response and changes in liver functioning, and therefore changes in the absorption rates and activity of drugs introduced to the system. Pine being the least inert (meaning affects the systems to the greatest degree).
The studies examined (and used by anti-shavings people) are listed in the post linked above. To single out cedar shavings when the studies show that pine actually has the greater effect on an animal's system...
There is a well-researched and logical article I found recently that even explains what these liver changes in the lab studies actually mean: http://buckysbunnies.tripod.com/Pine.html
So the conclusions I came to in my own research are (1) Do what you believe is right in your experience/understanding and (2) If you believe cedar is 'toxic' then you cannot in good conscience say that pine is okay.