Allergies to Wood shavings?

[eggsited chickens]

I have always bought my wood shavings from TSC, the kind that says TSC too...and never had any problems. I went there and bought 8 bales of wood shavings...they no longer carry the TSC brand but now have American breeders choice wood shavings. I cleaned out my 'chicks' quarters the other day and now they are all gasping for air. One of them I have taken out b/c I seriously thought she was going to die. She seems to be breathing fine right now. Walking around eating and drinking, whereas in the coop she was just sitting there gasping. Is the American breeders wood shavings differnt in any way than the TSC kind?

 

[mypicklebird]

Pine and aspen should be fine. If you have cedar, the symptoms you are seeing could certainly be from the shavings. What color are the shavings? What does the bag say is in there? It should say what kind of wood.

 

[eggsited chickens]

this is the one we have: http://www.awf.com/ag_bedding2.htm The second one down on page 2

 

[mypicklebird]

hmm- screened softwoods. very vague. Softwoods are conifers + a few others I think. Cedar is a soft wood. I would use for my chicks only something that had it's ingredients listed. Softwoods is too broad of a category, and it does include cedar. Cedar can be red or white depending on sap vs heartwood- so you can't go by color alone- but if there are red or pink shavings in there- likely it contains cedar. I would not use that for my chicks.

 

[eggsited chickens]

thanks mypickledbird~ anyone else out there?

 

[eggsited chickens]

I emailed he company and they told me pine, so I guess it's not the wood shavings, and they are sick with something respitory

 

[Big Red Barn]

Do you know if they are allergic to any other woods besides cedar? I want to get some free shavings from a woodshop and they might contain walnut, cherry, red/white oak, poplar, and pine. Mostly pine though

 

[rikithemonk]

Looks like its time to take a hard look at the coop. The pine could have gotten contaminated by a chemical at the warehouse or during shipping. Look for smells or unusual odors. Does it smell noticeable different than your old brand did? Is the coop unusually dusty?

Just a few thoughts.

Riki