Cedar shavings for 7 weeks old?

[Mommysongbird]

Our babies are now 7 weeks old and in the coop. I am planning on doing like 3in deep litter.

For the past few weeks Wal-Mart (where I have found the best price) has NOT had any pine shavings, only cedar. I have checked at our local TSC also and they don't even carry the pine shavings at all except in the little small bags for rabbits and such. I have also checked at Pet-Smart the only other place to purchase but the price is MUCH higher than Wal-Mart.

So can we do the cedar shavings now or is it NOT recommended at all???

 

[flnatv]

from what I understand... NOT at all... it's toxic.
My co-op also carries the shavings...
Can you just get one bag of the more expensive and let it work until TSC or somewhere gets some in?

 

[Anianna]

Cedar causes respiratory distress in chickens.

Ask TSC for the pine shavings they carry for horses. It would be very unusual for a TSC not to carry the big bags of large shavings. If they are out, is there another feed store near you, like a Southern States, maybe?

 

[rivers2011]

All the posts I've seen about cedar shavings suggest that it is toxic to chickens and should never be used for their bedding. Have you tried using sand? I've also heard a suggestion for plain old dirt...that way you can just compost the whole bit

 

[Katydid2011]

Pine pellet bedding works wonderfully! I use Nature's Choice but there are a variety of brands available. It seems wonderful, absorbs wetness as well as kitty litter and is immediately ready for compost. It also takes less room to store and last much longer than pine chips and chickens love to bathe in it once it starts to break down from pellets to the consistency of saw dust.

 

[Flawedatdesign]

Cedar has that effect on a ton of critters. I plan on using pellets. Not sure if they are wood or corn pellets I need to look I have left overs from when I had snakes.

 

[Mommysongbird]

Okay, this is what I thought, wanted to make sure.

No one sales the pellets around here, that I have seen anyway. I may try Southern States.

I will check Wal-Mart again on Friday and if they still don't have any, I will go to Pet Smart.

Thanks

 

[Anianna]

Southern States carries both the shavings and the pellets in their equestrian supplies. The Statesman shavings they carry are sifted to remove as much dust as possible and I find them less messy than the large shavings I got from TSC. I use their feeds, too, and have been very happy with them.

 

[ranchhand]

I would like to suggest that you AVOID places like WalMart, PetSmart and Petco. They are not livestock oriented at all. My TSC has 2 kinds of wood shavings now, they're quite proud of it. Big sign out front. Ask and keep asking. Here, it is stored under the overhang outside the front door. A big white or yellow, squared off bag.

If I can't get shavings, I use straw. Not hay, just plain straw. Reason being that chickens will eat hay and could get an impacted crop. But straw can harbor mites, so I use it only if I must.

 

[Mommysongbird]

Quote:
I will try at SS as well. I didn't see anything the other day when I was in there, but I wasn't looking for it that day.