Remind me...can I use cedar shavings?

[TubbyChicken]

I didn't think it was safe but was hoping someone could confirm this. So my options are straw, pine shaving or sand?! Would it be worth buying cheap linoleum tiles to make the wood floor easier for clean up?

 

[TubbyChicken]

...and any suggestions for how to keep down smell? I intend to do a light daily clean and once weekly will do a more thorough clean. You wouldn't believe how many people warn me about chicken smell when they find out what we're getting.

 

[MissPrissy]

No cedar. The fumes can cause respiratory stress.

I use a deep litter method. Keeping things ventilated and dry keeps smells from developing.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
I read several places that cedar is a no no . I use pine shavings thru out my chicken coop . And it works great . nothing sticks to the floor , so all I have to do is sweep /rake it all out and replenish .

I am debating on usign the pine shavings in my run area . To me when these shavings would get wet would really stink bad . Anybody have knowledge of using the pine shaving outside , please comment .

 

[MissPrissy]

When they get wet you will have a moldy mess on your hands.

 

[Bi0sC0mp]

yes some cheap linoleum on the wood floor does wonders when it comes time to clean..
as for the smell i say get some DE Diatomaceous Earth and speard it around there coop and roosts will help out alot

 

[Tuffoldhen]

It's not safe for them to breathe in cedar... I use pine shavings from TSC... Chickens don't smell if they are kept in clean quarters..I have wood floors and no problems keeping them clean... stall dry or DE stirred into the shavings will help with bugs, wetness and or smelly ammonia...stall dry can be found at most feedstores...DE usually has to be purchased online...needs to be the perma-guard food grade..

Do a search on here and lots of DE topics till come up and sometimes where to purchased online...shipping costs more than the foodgrade DE does...

 

[Anny]

As many others have already said Cedar is a No No (for most animals actually)

Pine is what I use and i like it. I am doing the deep litter method, which you can read about on this site.

I also use Stall Dry to keep down the smell, works wonders it's just Clay and DE you can buy it at most Farm supply stores.

I've had my chickens for almost 2 weeks now and I'm very surprised by how clean they are. I've only had to clean up the roost one cus some one pooped on it, other then that I just stir up the bedding and sprinkle a light layers of Stall dry once a week and no smell at all. My run is still grassy but it quickly turning to dirt, I am slowly adding sand to it so it will be easier to clean as well.

Pine shaving are pretty cheap. I bough a large 5 cubic foot bag for like $6 (the first place I looked at pine shavings 4 cubic foot bag for $11! So shop around)

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
I have linoleum on the wood floors and pine shavings on top .

I was wondering about pine shavings outside in the run

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
Once they get wet you will have a huge moldy, rotting mess on your hands.