Can I use cedar chips on my birds?

[magicpigeon]

I read somewhere they keep down mites. Just hoping they won't keep down the chickens too

Any firsthand experience? I'm really paranoid about chicken lice. I have long hair and have this specific phobia of them infesting themselves there.....

Thanks

 

[MTopPA_18707]

I read in one place that:

- Cedar is great because it discourages parasites, bugs, etc.

then I read:

- Cedar is bad for the birds respiratory system. The smell/oil hurts their lungs.

I haven't used it personally.

Xriva

 

[ruthless]

PLEASE
Do not use cedar chips for any animal. The oils in the cedar cause respiratory problems among other things. I don't know why they continue to manufacture these things as being for animal bedding.

Any animal can have parasites. Keep them clean and check them frequently. You can easily treat them. I am sure that many will have advise on preventative treatment for parasites. Most mites and lice are species specific and will not live on the human body.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Make sure they have a nice dust bath that stays dry, too. They will dust bathe to smother external parasites.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

The cedar contains a chemical that can be toxic to chickens if inhaled or ingested.

 

[Pequena Bandada]

No no no, and more no! As everyone else has said, the cedar can be toxic to chickens. Stick with pine or other wood chips/shavings. Keep your coop clean and you don't have to worry about things like lice (ick!!).

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Yes and yes, except there are lice that will live on humans. But they do not live on chickens, so no worries.

 

[mulewagon]

I'll go out and tell my chickens they should be dead, then... They keep snuggling into that cedar to lay, and also in the hospital cage. And they were raised on it for several months as chicks.

Cedar bedding is an old practice. So is putting tobacco leaves in the bedding, to discourage bugs.

 

[RIBill]

Cedar is not horribly toxic, per se. Also, cedar is many different genus/species in many different places. The problem caused by the "fumes" from some cedar is that they can irritate the respiratory tract. The stronger the smell, the worse it will be. In an open, well ventilated coop, just using cedar for the nests would probably be perfectly fine. Using it as the only bedding in a tight coop would be less fine. If it's dusty, it would probably represent a significant hazzard. That said, I'm of the opinion that nest boxes should be cleaned regularly, which will keep parasites down. I clean mine out weekly. It gives a nice fresh coat of relatively clean litter to the coop and fresh stuff to the nests.

 

[augustmomx2]

I had a mite infestation in all 3 of my coops this summer/fall

I ended up using an old bag of cedar shavings my dh accidently bought when we first got chickens. I used it only in the nest boxes and mixed it in w/pine as well. I have not had any probs, but my coops are well ventilated and the shavings were quite old, so the smell wasn't as strong. I have to say, I have not had any additional probs w/insects after a dosing of Sevin dust, DE and cedar shavings. Just my $.02