Can I use scented wood chips, heard it’s not good for them but today I put it in there nesting box that they don’t use and I saw them lay In it.

[Muaaz]

 

[DobieLover]

They still want to nest. It doesn't mean that giving them scented wood shavings is a good idea. They have very delicate respiratory systems and it can cause long-term damage. I would not use it.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Have you tried hemp? (Hemp bedding, that is.) I have pine flakes in their Nestera coop, but hemp in the nest boxes, and they LOVE it. It looks pricey, but it goes a long way in nest boxes, and I only change it once a month or so. Super easy to clean, although mine don't poop in there. I'm still on the first bag, and they've been laying since May.

Available at both Tractor Supply and Chewy.com

https://eatonpetandpasture.com/prod...4Ta-nozZ0Ymhrqf_Hedhv5ECf0NRp4ohKigAAGqaANvlj

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I don’t think once is a big deal but I wouldn’t make a habit of it. Sometimes (when I’m feeling really fancy) I will throw some fresh herbs in the nest boxes after I clean the coop. The coop smells lovely for about 12 hours. Then it smells like poop again. So if the lemon scent lasts longer than that I would imagine it has a concentrated chemical of some kind which is never a good thing in a chicken coop.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I don’t think once is a big deal but I wouldn’t make a habit of it. Sometimes (when I’m feeling really fancy) I will throw some fresh herbs in the nest boxes after I clean the coop. The coop smells lovely for about 12 hours. Then it smells like poop again. So if the lemon scent lasts longer than that I would imagine it has a concentrated chemical of some kind which is never a good thing in a chicken coop.

I will happily admit to shaking in some garam masala from a spice bottle that had hit its best-by for flavor. Smells amazing!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I could not find that product online. Do you have a link so I can read about it?

Can you contact the manufacturer and ask them about using those for chicken nests? Those look like they are labeled for use with mammals, not chickens, so they may not have any test data available.

Birds, including chickens, have relatively delicate respiratory systems. That's why miners sometimes keep canaries with them underground, the canaries can die from poisonous gases before they affect the miners. I have no idea if the gasses in that product are poisonous to chickens or not. Just because it smells does not mean it is dangerous to them.

Another part is how well ventilated your nests are. If they are well ventilated the gasses probably will not build up enough to cause harm, not if they are safe for mammals. But if the nests are tightly enclosed the gasses are much more likely to build up.

I'm not familiar with that product so I have no idea how safe or dangerous it might be.