_Why_ all the dust in the brooder?!?

[BellaLulaFarm]

Dang, what is it that has created all the chicken dust in my brooder in the last couple of weeks? It's covering everything! Is it the chick starter that has spilled out of the feeder, getting scratched up (I have bermuda grass down instead of shavings, and they love scratching in it)? Something else?

 

[debilorrah]

Welcome to chicks in the house!!!! Swiffers and the vacuum are your friend.

 

[canada-goose]

I'd guess there's a lot of molted down in that dust.

 

[emvickrey]

I use one of those ion doo-hickies that catch the dust particles in the air. It sits next to my brooder. It is that plastic looking stuff that is covering the new feathers when they grow out. They start to look like pins (pin feathers) then the stuff gets preened or rubbed off and goes into the air and on our tables, shelves, walls, funiture, etc. I carry my brooder to the bathroom and give it a shower insstead of dumping it into the garbage can with the dirty paper towles. I carefully take out the papertowles and use a clean papertowel and pick up what I can of the left over food and stuff. Then off to the shower. I still get the chicken dander but it's confined to one room and the ionizer helps alot.

 

[BarkerChickens]

There dusty little buggers!! It's not really dust. It is from them and their losing down and growing in new feathers.

 

[BellaLulaFarm]

Ugh, I think I was happy thinking it was aersolized chick starter...is spending all the time with the chickies going to contribute to developing allergies for myself or my kids?

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Quote:
Truthfully, if you are prone to allergies, then it's possible you might be allergic to birds in general. I am allergic to everything. From foods to detergents, to cats, but the two things I am NOT allergic to are my dogs and my birds (I have chickens, ducks, button quail, and a cranky old cockatiel that I've had for 15 years, not THAT'S a lot of dust!!!). If you are concerned, take a claritin as a preventative because you can have false positive reactions if there is something else in your environment that is triggering your allergies and then because your histamine is on overload, your body begins to treat objects that it normally would not be bothered by as the enemy, and reacts. Allergies are something I've lived with my whole life. Both my kids have allergies, but I don't let them rule me. Neither my kids nor I developed any from handling our birds, and let me tell you, it's next to impossible to try and tell a ten year old that she can't hold her new baby chicks, lol. I think that you and your kids will be fine. But as I said before, if you are that concerned, take a claritin. At least while it's working on the real allergies, it won't attack imagined new ones. Enjoy your chicks, and I agree, keep the vacuum handy. I do and I have little to no problems with dander.

 

[chickpip]

Welcome to owning chicks! It just sounds like the dust they give off. It will amaze you how much they give off. It will cover everything...

 

[Keara]

This is one of the many reasons I now let the hens raise the chicks. A good broody is worth her weight in gold!

 

[Jenifer72]

My chicks are 2 1/2 weeks old...they are in my diningroom (which we dont use because the chickens are here) I just started noticing the dust on the brooder light and some surrounding things. We JUST got new carpet 2 months ago. I HAVE to get them out of here! I have 2 enclosed porched on my house and I'm hoping to move them out!