stuff you can use and stuff you SHOULD NOT in your coop.

[smilingcat]

I just decided to post this so some of you have better idea on what to use and not to use. Some of the threads I saw made me very alarmed at what people had to say so this is off the top of my head, and you can add to the list if you are 100% sure but do check with others first.

Yes go ahead and use.

Pine shaving
alder shaving (you must be uber rich)
plain dirt floor
sand on the floor
pea gravel not so much.
straw some say yes others no. I prefer not.
DE powder sparingly. It is an ultra fine silica and breathing the dust is not good for you or for your bird. It's great to use for getting rid of lice and such but use it sparingly.
Sweet PDZ, yes its sold for barn use and for horses but it works great in chicken coop. Stuff we use in our coop.

DON'T USE!!!

cedar of any kind. planking, cedar strips, and especially cedar wood shaving.
wood ash in the bedding. Stuff is very caustic DO NOT USE
lime (Ag lime, barn lime or lime by any other name, hydrated lime) do not recommend.
insecticide/pesticide of any kind.

Common sense to some new info for others. If you don't agree let me know and we can talk.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Thank you for that info, this is helpful info especially to the new chicken lovers. I agree with every word you said.
Thanks again for that helpful info!

 

[Crafty-Duck]

Great! thanks for the info

 

[aoxa]

Wood ash is completely safe. Do not trust everything you read on here.

 

[smilingcat]

Wood ash is completely safe. Do not trust everything you read on here.

NO!! ABSOLUTELY NOT SAFE!! see my other post!! And go study basic chemistry.

And yes there are lot of misinformation out on the internet:

things like free power (violates second law of thermodynamics. You can't)

And wood ash totally safe (again total falacy! WRONG!!)

I do not want to see your birds being harmed with wrong information!!

 

[aoxa]

NO!! ABSOLUTELY NOT SAFE!! see my other post!! And go study basic chemistry.

And yes there are lot of misinformation out on the internet:

things like free power (violates second law of thermodynamics. You can't)

And wood ash totally safe (again total falacy! WRONG!!)

I do not want to see your birds being harmed with wrong information!!

I'm going to trust someone with 40 years experience using wood ash as a dust bath material. We're not talking treated wood here. Just pine and fire. Nothing else.

And I've had wood ash available forever. Never had an issue.

 

[the chickenator]

what is the issue with using cedar? I have a ton of salvaged cedar decking I was going to use to build a coop. What is the rationale for not using cedar?

 

[aoxa]

what is the issue with using cedar? I have a ton of salvaged cedar decking I was going to use to build a coop. What is the rationale for not using cedar?

Cedar has an aromatic oil in it that will irritate their respiratory system.

 

[the chickenator]

Cedar has an aromatic oil in it that will irritate their respiratory system.

Can I use it if I paint it, or stain it? I was planning on framing with PT, and then for the walls, both inner and outer, using my salvaged cedar. If it helps at all, it's about 20 years old, and weathered decking cedar.

 

[aoxa]

Can I use it if I paint it, or stain it? I was planning on framing with PT, and then for the walls, both inner and outer, using my salvaged cedar. If it helps at all, it's about 20 years old, and weathered decking cedar.

Oh you can use wood that is cedar. Just not cedar shavings