Cedar in shavings???

[thegreypony]

I'm pulling old shavings out of the barn to use for the 4 week old chicks/pullets. There is some cedar mixed in...I read somewhere NO cedar. Why? Is this just for the teeny weeny babies? The shavings are clean, I typed old b/c they've been in the barn for a while but we don't stable the horses so they aren't used.

Can i use these or not??

TIA

 

[chilling in muscadine]

You are supposed to use pine shavings. I beleive that the cedar ones are toxic. Not sure but I know they will cause problems with any of your birds. I'm sure someone will chime in with the reasons why.

 

[patandchickens]

Cedar has volatile oils that are not good for the respiratory system and liver if you get enough of 'em in you. There is some evidence that sometimes they can be a problem for chicks, chickens, and other animals... although OTOH many people have used them with no problems. It probably has something to do with freshness of cedar and degree of ventilation, but beyond that, who knows.

"Some cedar mixed in" does not sound too bad, especially if things are well ventilated. It is probably safer to avoid cedar; but many people use it with no problem, so, ya know, personal choice.



Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[thegreypony]

Thanks for the info! I can scrap the horse bedding no sweat. I'm just trying to use it up, wear it out or do without and all that. I can grab a bag of kiln dried pine from the farm down the road. Better safe than sorry!

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

You should be fine using them. Since its not all cedar and they are "aired out" so to speak.

 

[melissastraka]

See, now you can start that compost pile you have always wanted with the horse bedding right?

 

[Akane]

Even if you don't visibly see a problem scientists have found increased liver enzymes and stress to internal organs in rats kept on any cedar shavings. They even found some levels are higher on pine. That's why cedar is not used for lab animals. Aired out older shavings are better but still not something i would use in a brooder. Maybe a coop where there is more ventilation and a bigger area. The smaller the area and the less the air flow the more the fumes build and cause problems.