Can Shavings Make Chickens Sick?

[labpac4]

If the chickens are eating the shavings from the coop could that cause a prolapsed cloaca? Lost my 8 month old golden laced wyandotte today very suddenly and that is how it looked almost like she was plugged up.

 

[speckledhen]

No. They rarely eat enough shavings to be a problem, not unless they have some vitamin deficiency. Trust me, you didn't cause this. A prolapse is a reproductive malfunction, nothing to do with digestion.

 

[labpac4]

Thank you so much!

 

[speckledhen]

We're talking about pine shavings, right? Be sure they aren't cedar. That has nothing to do with why you lost your hen, though, just making sure you know that cedar can be toxic to chickens.

 

[HollywoodHillsHens]

I have heard Aspen shavings are even safer than pine (with regard to the offgassing) and have used this successfully with my first recent batch of chicks / pullets.