hay vs. wood shavings

[Kobey]

I have no practical experience with raising chickens but this I do know;

Cedar would make for a poor compost / absorbent material being naturally resistant to rot / decomposition.

Where as dry untreated pine would breakdown before you know it by comparrision.

 

[Chickenaddict]

the aroma of the cedar is toxic to chickens that is why people are advised not to use it. I use pine shavings. I also use a heat lamp in my coop over the winter so the seramas don't drop dead from our crazy cold temps. Straw and hay are extremely flamable, pine shavings not so much. There is a video on youtube I believe that shows a pile of pine shavings verses a pile of straw or hay and how fats each go up in flames, the shavings just smoldered never caught fire but the straw went up in flames QUICK! I am sorry to hear of your loss as well

 

[chickeymomma]

Aw, JenMiller, I'm so sorry to hear what happened.

So sorry.