ceder trees near coop safe???

[sonew123]

hi-I have a friend who is buying 4 of my chicks if and when they hatch!!! Anyway--she has a perfect set up we discovered on teh side of her garage-all frnced in with a great space for a nesting box and roost--trick is though it's right underneath ceder trees--now I know ceder is toxic to use as bedding-dont you think the trees with all its droppings are just as bad if not worse???

 

[sonew123]

does anyone know about this at all?

 

[azelgin]

Cedar trees are fine, it's only the shavings/chips that could be a possible problem.

 

[sonew123]

these trees shed real bad-you mean it wont hurt them if they eat the droppings from these trees? or bark you know--they will not use the shavings but isnt it the same thing? pieces of ceder or shavings?

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

The trees wont hurt them at all.

 

[Chickenmaven]

My coop is in a thicket of cedar trees. Wonderful insulation in the winter.

 

[chanda]

I've never had ANY problems with cedar in a bird pen, and I cut limbs for mine to "play" in and around. PLUS, the rabbits LOVE the nutrients they get from the bark.

You KNOW, I wonder if your friend would be okay with, say, 2 rabbits as penmates?? They could help keep the cedar leaves cleaned up! (And my rabbits and chickens get along REALLY well!)

Just thought I'd throw that in there!

Chanda

 

[sonew123]

hahaha--Ill MENTION IT! LOL...you had me laughing--my friend was only thinking of taking one of my silkie chicks-then she talked to the lanlords who live right next door-to inform them-they got so excited too-so now they want chickens for eggs to eat-enough for 3 adults and a 10 yr-combined they eat a little more than a doz. a week-I told them to get 3 hens-and 1 silkie for play-I would take it back if it was a roo though

 

[sugarbush]

Cedar will not hurt the chickens even if they eat the bark and needles. The bedding is respiratory toxic because of hydrocarbons that are broken down and released into the air as the bedding becomes soiled with ammonia from the chicken waste. Pine bedding is also toxic because of the same hydrocarbons. Cedar gets targeted because people assume that it is the cedar smell that is toxic, but in reality all wood bedding has the same hydrocarbons to some level, some more than others. It isn't an issue with proper ventilation to dilute the hydrocarbons in the air that the chicken is breathing. A live tree does not emit hydrocarbons.

 

[sonew123]

that was amazing and very crystal clear-thank you for the very informative enlightening answer!