Is eucalyptus shavings/bedding ok for chickens?

[Poulets De Cajun]

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A+++ for initiative Vicki!

 

[MadAussieInUSA]

just dont put euc leaves in, some euc leaves can be poisonous. I dont know what kind you have in CA (There are.. hundereds of different types of eucalyptus trees).

 

[CA Bean]

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when people refer to cedar as a dangerous aromatic, they're referring to the intensity and effect of the oils, not the fact that they exist at all, that's true. any plant with an associated aroma could be considered an aromatic. the more aroma, the more the concentration of the plant's essential oils and essential oils should always be used with caution, whether it's something fairly harmless like lavender or something quite dangeous like pennyroyal. when it comes to high intensity EOs like cedar and eucalyptus, you have to exercise caution on two fronts: handling and inhalation.

the goal of litter should not be to outstink the stink! if your litter has that much essential aroma, don't use it!

i would not use eucalyptus as a bedding, personally. any tree that can be smelled whole and intact in the air has a healthy dose of EO. also, it's not a great idea to equate medicinal benefits with harmlessness. eucalyptus is a useful natural tool for the respiratory tract, but it has no preventative benefits and shouldn't be used constantly, either by you or your hens. that's like saying that morphine is a useful painkiller, so you should take it daily for routine aches and pains or to prevent such.

Yes, I am aware of the benefits and also toxicity of many essential oils and herbs that is why I was hesitant. But contimplating it some more,I think it probably can be used if it has dried out l a little bit, lessening the essential oils in it. I do plan to do the deep litter method so I probably will use it as the bottom layer. It would also deter other critters too.

 

[CA Bean]

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Thank you! True, in our area we don't need to house them up in the coops in the winter or anything. They would be outside almost all of the time.

 

[ravenfeathers]

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that's interesting. would you mind citing some sources? google seems to be failing me on this particular search. i find retailers with eucalyptus mix beddings (mostly out of vietnam) and forums, especially UK forums, where folks extol the nice smell, and a couple of sites that give instructions for specific treatment with eucalyptus EO, but i'm not finding anything that says it's safe.

One interesting side note it the oil is rubbed in coops or added to bedding to curb lice or cure respiratory problems, so the amount of oil released from the shavings is a benefit, not a problem.

once again, i'd like to caution folks into thinking that EOs are harmless and consult a veterinarian familiar with homeopathy and EO therapy before adding any EOs to their coop or their home or barn. i know some folks use tea tree oil successfully in their coops, but i do worry that EOs are perceived as "natural" and therefore "gentle".​

 

[mybeckfarm]

I know this thread is really old but I was just looking into this myself and found several sites with differing info. Here's one I found though...

Grandis Shavings is based in the Sabie / Nelspruit area, where we produce top quality purpose-made wood shavings for the equine, poultry and pet markets. Grandis Shavings only process eucalyptus timber, as research has shown that the use of eucalyptus as an animal bedding material, is far more beneficial to the health of your animals than most other types of timber products currently being used as contact bedding, including pine shavings and industrial wood waste.Grandis Shavings have lower cytotoxic and enzyme-producing properties than most other types of bedding materials, and in addition, have a low dust content, a higher moisture absorption rate thereby reducing harmful ammonia levels. Our Eucalyptus shavings also act as a natural antiseptic, a natural decongestant and a natural fly / insect repellant. Grandis Shavings are compressed into convenient sized bales facilitating easier handling, storage and transportation. One bale equals twice the volume of a normal black bag.

~Yolanda )

 

[Big Mo]

We were given some fresh eucalyptus shreddings and were concerned about the effect on the chickens, as there were leaves in with the wood chippings. We needn't have worried, after being a bit disconcerted by the smell, the chickens carried on as usual but did not attempt to eat the leaves. It certainly improves the smell of the chicken run!