I want to put my coop under the cedar tree. Someone told me that cedars are poisonous to chickens. Does anyone know for sure if this is true?
I would not worry about it. Cedar shavings sliced very fine give off a vapor that can harm the respiratory system if it is confined. It is strongly recommended to not use cedar shavings in a brooder or coop. But cedar lumber or cedar trees do not have the surface area to give off enough vapor to harm their respiratory system. Depending on how you build the coop and maybe the run, the tree may give predators a chace to climb in or chickens to fly up to a branch and get out, but I would not worry about a cedar tree being poisonous to them.
My property is covered in cedar trees and I have had chickens here for fourty years without a problem. I also use a mix of cedar shavings and fir shavings as bedding without a problem. My chickens live to ripe old ages .....so it hasn't been a problem for me.
