My grandparents owned a farm, as well as half my relatives, and they all say not to use cedar around animals if they will be in close contact where the fumes/offgasses can be inhaled. Many pesticides, including natural ones can also affect nonpests, if they get enough in their system. Put a bunch of chips in a large bowl on your desk while you work and you will see how quickly you will feel kinda ill and may even get a headache from breathing cedar. You can get real sick sawing it into boards without a mask on. Ditto for short animals like chickens because they are only a few inches from it while they breathe. And as far as composting, it will keep the worms and benificial bacteria from doing their job to break down the compost into soil because they won't even go near it, so what would be the point then. If you have that much cedar chips to 'waste,' place it around and under decks, garden containers, raised beds, doghouses, etc. to keep the weeds and bugs down. Stuff it into cloth sacks, big and small, to stash in closets, cupboards, dressers, corners, etc to slow down/halt pantry moths, clothing moths, mice, cockroaches, ants, etc. You can use leaves and straw and tall grass cuttings, even shredded paper from banks/businesses, etc for your chickens. it even scoops up better to throw out...chips are heavier and smaller, often falling out of scoop shovels unless you move slow and careful...who has time for that when you want to move the poop fast, not take all day. Farmers often sell old straw/hay real cheap for bedding...or you can trade some cedar chips that they may want to use. Or sell your chips to pet shops. Above all, if there is even a slight question about safety for your animals, pick a better more common option. Better to spend more money using something safer than buying new animals or eating sick ones.
