Hi, Anyone know if cedar shavings will affect the taste of chicken eggs if used in the nest box instead of hay? Thanks Daryll

-- Daryll (twincrk@hotmail.com), May 23, 2000

Answers

Daryll,

I've used the wood shavings that horse people use in the nest for several years now and haven't noticed any affect. I think those are pine but kinda doubt cedar would cause any problem. Had to go to the shavings because my hens would not leave hay/straw in the nest, sat there and threw the pieces out, tried sawdust and it was nasty when an egg got broken, kitty litter was the same result and I think the hens picked at it a bit so ended up with shavings. Hope this helps.

-- Betsy (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), May 23, 2000.

Do you also use cedar shavings on the floor of your chicken house? I'd heard you shouldn't and would like to use them if it can be done.

-- Louise Whitley (whitley@terraworld.net), May 23, 2000.

I do know that you shouldn't use it for small cage-pets, like gerbils, hamsters, etc. The oils & odors from cedar have a damaging effect on their respiratory system. I know of a study where they found that small pets who were kept in cedar bedding had HALF the life span of pets kept in other types of bedding, like paper or whatever. I think it makes a difference if the animal has to actually live "in" the bedding, like hamsters in an aquarium, versus animals who can get away from it. I use pine & cedar shavings in my hens' nest boxes and have never found the eggs to be affected.

-- Shannon (Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary) (gratacres@aol.com), May 23, 2000.

I use pine shavings with no problem. But let me advise AGAINST hay! The hens will ingest it, and can easily become "crop-bound" with hay. Now you're wondering "Why did that hen die?!" Use shavings, sawdust (less desireable, but often free), but do not use straw or hay. Oh, you can use it, but first chop it into lengths of no more than 1 inch. Not worth the trouble to me! GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), May 23, 2000.

I was just curious if cedar shavings aren't good for gerbils, etc..., why are the shavings packaged specifically for them?? I have gerbils & that's all I use because the package stated it was for hamsters, gerbils, mice, etc.... They just delivered babies today so now I'm wondering if this is going to harm them?

-- Wendy (weiskids@nalu.net), May 23, 2000.

By the way, I always use straw in my nests with no problems. I don't chop it up either.

-- Wendy (weiskids@nalu.net), May 23, 2000.

I don't know why they package that stuff for small animals. It's in all the pet stores yet most books advise against using it. I used it for pet mice a few years ago (before I knew better) and they all came down with respiratory problems and died. My son's guinea pig is kept on newspaper and it's healthy as a horse. Just have to clean it out more often. In a nest box I wouldn't think there would be a problem. Pauline

-- Pauline Adderley (tworoosters_farm@AltaVista.com), May 23, 2000.

Don't know, but I'd think those volatile oils would help with parasites.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), May 24, 2000.

We use unchopped straw for our chickens. I don't think they have had any problems with it, at least none that I have observed. When we had confined rabbits, we were advised against using cedar shavings, but given the ok for fir shavings. I know someone who raises game birds and uses shavings (not sure what tree species) in the nests for her birds (chukar and bobwhite)...works fine.

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), May 24, 2000.

We have always used straw for our chicken nests, don't cut it up either! When I grew up on the farm we always used straw, in the 80 some years my Dad raised chickens he always used straw! We always let our chickens free range! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), May 24, 2000.

I've had my laying hens for about a year and always just bought a few bales of hay and used it in the nests. I never considered that it might cause some damage. Would someone please tell me more about this. We have a lot of grass left over after we mow our 2 acres. Would this be better for lining the nests than the hay? Thanks. Eagle

-- eagle (eagle@alpha1.net), May 24, 2000.

Sorry. As you'd guess, nameless was me. Normally you can't get away with that.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), May 24, 2000.

Wasn't nameless either. Browser aberration - didn't show that. I'm not paranoid - the world IS out to get me. Computers hate me. Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I think I'll go out in the garden and eat worms.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), May 24, 2000.

We use pine shavings with no problems.

-- Abigail F. (treeoflife@sws.nb.ca), May 24, 2000.

Hi, Daryll. Use whatever you can get your hands on. I had the kids throw the tags and useless fleece into the nesting boxes this March, and so now my chickens have straw (ordinary straw), pine shavings, and fleece. The chickens will rearrange and organize it however they like it.

Here's an aside about pine shavings: I get mine free by the truckload. The pig nursery gets new piglets in crates full of pine shavings, and the bedding is pristine when they unload those piglets. They are glad to give it away, rather than have to dispose of it, and it is light and easy to haul. When the nursery gets 7,000 piglets, I get two pickup loads of bedding. It is so clean, that I don't think I have ever noticed a manure smell. Those piglets are only crated up for a couple of hours.

-- Rachel (rldk@hotmail.com), May 24, 2000.

Cedar & Pine (shavings and dust), straw, and sand all used successfully here for nestbox bedding. I avoid cedar for rabbits but do use pine and straw for them.

-- William in WI (thetoebes@webtv.net), May 24, 2000.

There is a world of difference between straw and hay. Doesn't happen all the time, but chickens will eat the hay, especially if not free-ranged, and they can become crop-bound and die as a result. Shavings have never been a problem, and I suggest them as a better nest material.

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), May 27, 2000.