Cedar shavings vs Pine in Brooder

[Akane]

It's not just the respiratory system. Cedar and the volatile oils given off by all softwoods causes liver damage and stresses the organs. Short term you may see nothing if your using it in a well ventilated area. Long term it may actually be shortening the life of your flock and add to them getting sick or having health problems that don't appear to be related to the cedar. It just adds unnecessary stress to their bodies even if you don't see direct symptoms. There's really no good reason to use it. In a more enclosed space with less ventilation you will start to see more obvious symptoms. Why can't you just get pine? It's dirt cheap at most feed stores and far safer. I also use spruce shavings if I can find them. They have less oils than the pine.

Making the shavings deeper won't really do much with young chicks. They won't stir it enough and beyond the first 2" the shavings will remain mostly clean unless they dump a waterer or something. That's why instead of adding more shavings to brooders that get messier like when I had 100 quail chicks I add something more absorbent. Pine pellets are far more absorbent. You can put a handful in a cup of water and you'll get sawdust that feels dry. They are also heat treated to the point they have very few oils left so even less likely to cause health problems. A bit more expensive though so I don't use them all the time.

 

[Intheswamp]

Thanks for noting the liver issue, I definitely hadn't even thought of it, but it makes sense being as it's the birds main filter.

I would imagine that the curiosity about using cedar vs. pine is that in some geographical areas cedar is more abundant than pine...it (cedar) is also seen in wallyworld and other places more frequently.

Hmm, has anyone every made their own pine shavings using a home-chipper/shredder with the screen removed??? I might have to see how that would work.

Ed

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
I have not but others have. As long as you use non-toxic plants, it should be no problem. Ive also just gone out back and shredded up leaf mold. You dont need fancy or store bought.
You need clean, dry, non-toxic and absorbent. Whatever meets these, is a go.

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

Cedar is dangerous to all small animals when used as bedding and they should have a warning label to that effect so that people don't lose their pets and not know why!

But they just keep selling the stuff! One has to do their own research as you are doing now!!

Wish everyone would do the same!!

 

[cmom]

I use pine shavings.

Click on image to enlarge.

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

Quote:
I have a couple of those dowels in my brooder too, tried setting one of the chicks onto it but she slipped off

, they may be too slick for them to hold onto. I'm going to go outside later and find some small branches off my trees and replace the dowels with those!

Are your chicks hanging onto yours?