Watch out for Cedar Shavings!

[Hambone02]

I guess you could call me a chick when it comes to raising chickens. I'm just getting started, so I will probably bug you guys with a lot of questions...sorry.

Everything I have read has told me to stay away from cedar shavings/dust. For that matter, if you're using shavings us large shavings, not small, so the chicks won't eat them and die. Fine.

Now cedar scares me. Will my chickens be okay around the cedar trees that their coop/run is right next to? Or, is it just cedar shavings that I need to worry about. I've read about some people letting their chickens roost in their cedar trees.... Do I need to relocate the coop and run?

 

[GardeNerd]

So if I buy the bagged stuff for hamsters, in pine, is that size okay for baby chicks? I am getting some chicks shipped from Welp in February. I should air it out for a week or two before arrival. Right?

 

[Akane]

It's the cut wood that's a problem. People have occasionally had problems using cedar wood to build a coop or other animal shelter. The actual trees though are sealed and covered in bark to protect themselves. Chickens should be fine around cedar trees. Animals that are likely to chew on the wood should not have cedar branches.

The soft fluffy pet store shavings do work but I like the bigger shavings I get from the feed store. They eat less of it and it doesn't get thrown out and tracked around as easy. The fluffy little shavings stick to everything and go everywhere.