Ceder shavings?

[countrygirl74]

I always use paper towels for the first week for a few reasons...

1. It's not a slippery surface like newspaper, etc. that can cause spraddle leg.
2. They can't eat it - I don't like putting in something that they can eat until they learn what their food is and what is not
3. I can keep an eye on their poos - make sure nothing is going wrong with any of them.

Then, I switch to a pine crumble like this - they stay very clean and I just give it a little stir every day, change it once a week.






Hope that helps!! Have fun with your new babies!

 

[missnu01]

well that sounds like [pasty butt. you got all the poo off, correct? you can either use Vaseline or olive oil on the vent to help with the poop from sticking also i heard adding a little grit to their diets helps with pasty butt. when you give them treats make sure to offer grit as well.

More pasty butt will happen if their temps are too high. I had 2 cases of it out of 26 chicks and I cleaned them off and raised the light a little and nobody had a dirty rear end since. At 3 weeks they should be past getting pasty. They need it only about 75 degrees or so at this point..

 

[kada6305]

More pasty butt will happen if their temps are too high. I had 2 cases of it out of 26 chicks and I cleaned them off and raised the light a little and nobody had a dirty rear end since. At 3 weeks they should be past getting pasty. They need it only about 75 degrees or so at this point..

you are right, pasty butt is usually only the first week or so. or when you change their diets too I believe. just make sure their temp is okay, they will pretty much let you know if its too warm or too cold. huddled under the light they are too cold huddled in corner away from light? too hot. spread out equally they are just fine 75 should be fine for your chicks at 3 weeks though, mine are 2 week and we are between 80-83. and they seem fine.

 

[samygwin9]

GOOD NEWS EVERYBODY!! well I had to run to town today. for some reson I just HAD to go it felt like it was just calling me.

so when I was there I picked up some PINE SHAVEINGS! enough to do me at lest 4 weeks!

so YAY!!!!

 

[kada6305]

yay !!! might want to look into sand also if you want. I am doing half pine shavings and half sand for dust bathing. The side with the heat lamp is pine shavings because I heard how the heat lamp heats the sand too hot so the cooler side will be the sand

 

[samygwin9]

maybe. I don't know. but i'm just so glad I got them away from the ceder! it was just so terrible knowing it was harming them.

 

[kada6305]

yeah, glad you did that here is the setup we have with half sand half pine shavings

 

[samygwin9]

ooh I like ur setup! but how mutch is the sand?

 

[cameronfarm]

I have found absolutely no studies to suggest Cedar is toxic to chickens. I have never seen anything relating to this topic from any agency, manufacturer, university, lab, etc. Apparently neither has McMurray:

http://blog.mcmurrayhatchery.com/2011/11/17/is-cedar-a-suitable-chicken-coop-building-material/

If this was a true fact there would have had to been SOME publication / USDA bulletin / etc between the 1800's and today. Look at everything else that is covered so in depth in regards to chickens. The only place I see anything about this is forums like these.

So while I can not say one way or the other I know I have cedar trees all over my property and it has not done anything to my poultry...

 

[kynewbchickie]

I have found absolutely no studies to suggest Cedar is toxic to chickens. I have never seen anything relating to this topic from any agency, manufacturer, university, lab, etc. Apparently neither has McMurray:

http://blog.mcmurrayhatchery.com/2011/11/17/is-cedar-a-suitable-chicken-coop-building-material/

If this was a true fact there would have had to been SOME publication / USDA bulletin / etc between the 1800's and today. Look at everything else that is covered so in depth in regards to chickens. The only place I see anything about this is forums like these.

So while I can not say one way or the other I know I have cedar trees all over my property and it has not done anything to my poultry...

The cedar trees and coops made of cedar that have been treated are fine. It's the shavings that cause problems. Our avian vet (the one I worked for, for a very long time) has advised against cedar shavings due to the aromatic (phenol) oils in the shavings irritating the respiratory systems of younger poultry, thus making them much more susceptible to respiratory illnesses. Typically, the younger the bird, the more susceptible they are to these issues. If there wasn't any data out there to support this, I don't know why they're training vets with that information...However, I WILL say that he emphasizes that if you must use cedar shavings due to snake infestations, serious mite problems and the like - make CERTAIN it says they are kiln-dried. That process destroys the oils that cause the irritations, thus removing the cause for alarm. Not all cedar pet bedding is kiln-dried, so check the packaging.

Here's a thread about the topic:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/99738/who-says-cedar-is-bad-for-chickens