Rhode Island Red - Healthy Living - Questions from a Newbie

[mattwells]

As a newbie to chicken raising, I just want to make sure I am on the right track and not doing anything horribly wrong.

I have a Rhode Island Red about 4-weeks old - she is growing and seems fine.

Her roommate, a Ameracuana just dropped dead the other day. She was bigger, feathers and body seemed really puffy. Not sure what happened....

They are in a box in the garage. They have a feeder with chick start, a watering dish that I check daily (they sometimes poop in it and fill it with cedar shavings).

The box has a 70-watt bulb pointed at one corner. We are getting into warmer weather (high 50's at night, 80's during the day).

They really like to get out of the box so I have a screen over it now to keep my garage from being covered in poop.

Am I doing anything wrong? Is there anything I should be doing differently?

Any insight is much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Tomhusker]

Cedar? Like from a garden center? Have the cedar chips been treated with chemicals? Use pine shavings from you local feed store.

 

[mattwells]

They are from a feed store. They were recomended by the folks there.

 

[CoffeeCow]

Cedar shavings are bad. They seem to cause respiratory problems or so I have read... I use Pine shavings

 

[vatterpa]

I also recommend pine. It is cheaper too. You also might want to check the temp through out the day to make sure it isn't too hot.

 

[OkieChix]

defently pine or aspen shavings. ceder will kill small animals and birds. ceder prodcues in oil and a smell that they cant talerate. i would take them out asap and put them on paper towls or something they cant slide on till ou can get the right kind of bedding. and im sorry about youe loss. hope everything works out.