DAE know that cedar shavings in the coop can mess with a hen's breathing? Found out the hard way last Tuesday

Wendy Mason · 2026-10-09T15:15:03.971015+00:00

Last Tuesday I swapped in a fresh bag of cedar shavings for my 6 hens in the coop out back because it smelled nicer than pine. By Thursday morning two of them were wheezing and one had a rattly sound in her chest. Called my vet in Springfield and she told me cedar puts off oils that irritate their lungs, took me 3 days of airing out the coop and switching back to pine to get them normal again. Cost me $75 for the visit and I felt like a dummy. What bedding do you all use that keeps the smell down without hurting their breathing?

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DAE know that cedar shavings in the coop can mess with a hen's breathing? Found out the hard way last Tuesday | Backyard Chicken Keepers - Rigidtalk