In terms of environmental influence, wood shavings jump out like a sustainable possibility. Contrary to some other bedding components, they’re biodegradable and compostable, earning them an eco-welcoming option for your coop.

housing your chickens on pine. That is a completely natural response. You should realize that I’m not declaring that you will be undesirable or don’t care about your chickens. I utilised pine way too. Many of us believed it had been Safe and sound. 

A person common issue is respiratory complications because of inhaling dust particles from the shavings. Wood dust can irritate a chicken’s lungs, resulting in coughing, sneezing, or a lot more significant problems like pneumonia.

Some different types of wood shavings, for example cedar and cypress, contain oils that repel insects and moths, Nevertheless they may also be toxic to chickens if ingested in substantial portions.

Shavings are an outstanding choice of chicken bedding for a little flock, or for somebody who doesn’t intellect cleansing the coop generally.

However, it’s vital to Notice that not all recycled or reclaimed wood shavings are created equal. Some might include chemical compounds, stress-taken care of wood, or other contaminants which can hurt your chickens.

Here, you are going to discover every thing you have to know about utilizing pine shavings for chicken coop bedding, like:

“Even though our info usually do not qualify as A really scientific experiment, There is certainly ample evidence to suggest making use of warning… The point that a lot of indoor house rabbits are in an natural environment of pine or cedar could account for the large variety of deaths on account of liver harm and anesthesia fatalities.” — Marinell Harriman Find Out & Colleagues, 1989

In terms of giving a safe and healthy natural environment on your yard chickens, managing humidity articles within their bedding material is critical. Wood shavings are a preferred option, but if not correctly managed, they're able to harbor mould growth that poses really serious well being threats to the flock.

Previous habits die hard—it’s a declaring for a explanation. When methods are ingrained inside a society or institution, like making use of pine shavings for bedding, it might be quite challenging to change Those people approaches, even every time they have already been demonstrated to be hazardous.

Pine shavings are one of the better bedding types You need to use for the deep litter approach. Straw is usually a great option. For more on straw, see my report, Applying straw within the coop.

When it’s time to scrub the coop we pitch all the aged bedding out and adhere an entire bale of straw inside the coop. We Lower the cords close to it and let the chickens distribute the straw in the coop. They have a blast kicking and scratching in the straw for times.

Each time I vacant a coop and fill it with new shavings, my chickens will even lay eggs in the shavings. Though you don’t want chickens laying eggs on the floor, this only lasts for a couple of days. It’s a image of just just how much chickens enjoy contemporary, soft bedding. 

If you do choose standard wood shavings, Make sure you source from reliable suppliers who adhere to sustainability techniques and rigorous VOC polices. Regularly cleaning and replacing the bedding can also assistance minimize possible dangers linked to specified sorts of wood shavings.