Housing quail and their run under/near Cedar trees???

[el dorado quail]

So I've just remembered using cedar chips/shavings for bedding is toxic and I'm planning to build my quail aviary between/partially under 3 cedar canopies. Is this safe? Will the seed pellets/needle droppings be toxic as well??? Helppp

 

[Fishkeeper]

As far as I know, the harmful oils in the wood are also in the leaves. That's why you don't see many things growing under cedar trees, they're actually trying to kill off the other plants.
You should be fine if you just put a solid roof on your aviary so the leaves can't fall in, though. And if you're using quarter-inch hardware cloth, which you should anyway to keep mice out, that should keep anything from blowing in through the sides.

 

[el dorado quail]

As far as I know, the harmful oils in the wood are also in the leaves. That's why you don't see many things growing under cedar trees, they're actually trying to kill off the other plants.
You should be fine if you just put a solid roof on your aviary so the leaves can't fall in, though. And if you're using quarter-inch hardware cloth, which you should anyway to keep mice out, that should keep anything from blowing in through the sides.

I just finished a botany course ( we talked extensively about allelopathy) and cedars don't put out any toxins via roots/leaves. I'm going to do more research about the leaves tho. We have TONS of native birds that live in the cedars like nest with the needles and everything. I think I just had a mini heart attack when I remembered about cedar shavings...

In the 4 articles I've read it seems any kind of irritant comes from milling the wood or exposing the woods inner tissues.

I'm definitely going to have a roof on half of it for snow and it will be wrapped entirely in HWC

 

[CoturnixComplex]

I wouldn't expect to have issues. Lack of ventilation + cedar is a problem, but with a mostly outdoor aviary or run I think you'll be fine. Just keep the debris from the trees out as best as possible.