shavings question ? please answer.

[jessaw1981]

I just built my chicken barn lol a small one and have a question. my run is attached to the barn its a very big dog lot and scooted it up to the barn and did not need 4 sides because of barn and so that made it bigger. so all the wood I got for my barn was free ! I paied 50.00 for dog lot I had a tarp to put over lot to keep rain out but its not quite bug enough and I don't get paied till wed coming up. it flooded all day ling here started last night till about 6 pm today now they were all smart enough to go un te barn but it stopped so they can to the run. I went out and was horrified rain was 3 inches deep with 2 inches of mud under that. About that time my hubbub and his dad came back from town and seen how upset I was for my chickens. He said at his work they save all the wood shavings and the guys put them in there chicken coop. He said ill go and get you all we have so about 30 min later and a 55 gal drum full of shavings now thus wood is oak and its more like dust. I am afraid they will eat it ? please tell me if this will hurt them usually I would have 10 - 20 bucks and run to Walmart and got some shavings. But I am on UI and my dh is disabled been since he was 11 and getting all there school stuff killed me. sorry this is so long thanks for you help.

 

[CrazyAnimalGirl]

Chickens should only have cedar shavings. I'm no expert but that's what I was told. I'm sure they do eat a little bit of anything that's on the ground, so.... idk Sorry!

 

[True Grit]

Sorry CrazyAnimalGirl but chickens should NOT have cedar as the oils bother them. They generally have pine shavings. I don't think the oak dust should be a big problem if your girls are older as they probably know what is good for them.

 

[maine chicks]

NOT CEDAR SHAVINGS! Cedar oil is not good for birds-use pine shavings in your coop.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I have never used cedar shavings for any chicken and have always been advised against it because of the strong oils/odors in cedar causing problems with respiratory systems of chickens.

jessaw, i didn't catch how old your chickens are. If they are past a couple weeks, for sure, i wouldn't be too concerned about them eating the shavings - or it causing a problem if they did. However, oak shavings usually come from places like cabinet shops, where they are cutting woods that have been covered in lacquer or some other protective chemical. If you can verify that these shavings aren't full of lacquer dust, then i would go ahead.

Just a word of caution, i'm sure these guys use the stuff in their COOPS, which would be indoors, but saw dust/wood shavings is/are generally not that much help for outdoor flooding. I may not be understanding your situation exactly right, but it sounds like it would be better to raise the area with more dirt - or possibly sand.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Don't use cedar with chickens!

Make sure to offer some regular sand or grit- really tiny sharp rocks- you might be able to find it at a pet store for birds or feed store. If they ingest the dust, they might need grit to keep their crops from getting impacted.

My chickens actually do ingest some pine shavings and dust, and they are fine, since they have grit.

 

[CrazyAnimalGirl]

Well dangit, now i'm confused!!

Every website and place has told me absolutely NEVER use pine. Always cedar. I've got like 40 chicks in the brooder with cedar so someone better tell me the truth!!

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
What websites? Can you share the links with us?

I've never used cedar, but i have always used pine and never had a moment of trouble with it, from hatch to adulthood.

 

[farmboydj]

cedar is ok for ADULT BIRDS ONLY!!! and if used in moderation and is used for in the nesting boxes it acutely helps keep mites down the oils in the cedar kill them where is pine will not. and on the floor it keeps a nice clean smell to hope that helps

 

[CrazyAnimalGirl]

Quote:
What websites? Can you share the links with us?

I've never used cedar, but i have always used pine and never had a moment of trouble with it, from hatch to adulthood.

Sorry, I cant remember! It was when I was figuring out my brooder box and I was researching for days about things. There's no telling!
I have only had one chick die, and he was just plain weak (packing peanut) wouldn't eat, half the size of the others at day 4/5. All the others seem fine. Running around like chicks with their head cut off! haha