Shredded Cedar Bedding?

[OkieB]

I noticed that my local farm store has started carrying shredded cedar bedding. Has anyone used this? Advantages? Disadvantages? Thanks in advance.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Don't use it for birds... only pine.

Cedar has too much scent and well, lets me see what I actually find...
http://blog.mcmurrayhatchery.com/2011/11/17/is-cedar-a-suitable-chicken-coop-building-material/

http://www.clayfootfarm.com/cedar-shavings-toxic

 

[dotporter]

That's sort of a mine field question. The oils in cedar CAN be dangerous to chickens, but if the coop is ventilated, consensus is that it's not really dangerous. Hard to tell one way or the other.

If it's small chips, I've had ducklings get impacted from eating them, but that's true of any small bits of wood.

But, cedar is excellent at repelling bugs.

 

[SueT]

Also, if you live in the eastern USA, it's different cedar than if you live on the west coast. Eastern aromatic cedar is the volatile species, western red cedar is much milder. That said, I use shavings from our wood shop, and have many times added the eastern aromatic cedar to my coop, mixed with various hardwood shavings. No problems occurred, but it was diluted.. I love the smell.

 

[Zinjifrah]

Cedar smells marvelous, and is excellent for preventing insects. The oils released from it can result in respiratory and skin irritation. I'm not familiar with the impact on chickens specifically, but it is strongly recommended it not be used for small animal and livestock bedding. For reptiles, even pine is considered excessively toxic. Only Aspen for them. That said, I suspect that in a well ventilated coop, with birds roosting on an elevated perch off the bedding, mixed with pine or another milder wood it would be perfectly fine - I'd probably concentrate the cedar in specific areas, such as corners and under the roost if there's no poop board. Places bugs are likely to congregate. My own viewpoint - I'm not an expert.

 

[Folly's place]

A little bit mixed with other woods might be fine, but not straight cedar! Use pine shavings, or aspen, instead. Also avoid black walnut in the shavings mixture, if you are using stuff from your own workshop.
Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

I would not use it. Birds have very sensitive respiratory systems.

 

[OkieB]

Wow. Thanks for all the great info!

 

[mountain chicken]

I use it in the run it's well ventilated than cover with a light sprinkle of hay it's for great keeping flies down

 

[TwoCrows]

I use Western Cedar mulch as bedding all throughout the coop and run. The western cedar is not as aromatic as the eastern stuff. I do air it off a bit first by opening the bags and leaving the piles to air off for about 2 weeks before using. I also keep a pile going year round behind the coop. I use it in the nest boxes as well. My birds have never suffered with any respiratory distress from this cedar bedding although my coop is very well ventilated. After a while it loses pretty much all of its smell and smells of plain wood. It repels bugs too. I love this stuff and will never use any other type of bedding again.