Chickens & Human Health Issues

[Redguitar77]

Hey, All - a friend of mine told me that his aunt is having to rehome her 140 chickens because she has been diagnosed with an enlarged heart due to chicken and duck keeping. I have never heard of anything like that - wondering if it’s just a case of misinformation and I can’t ask her directly but curious if anyone has ever heard of anything like that? I was watching my daughter tote one of our hens around as he told me all of this and was like, whaaa?

 

[Chickassan]

Nooo, I have not. Maybe the work related to keeping the birds stressed her ticker? That is about the only way I can figure that might happen, and honestly i'm not a doctor so I might be full of crap on that too.

 

[The Phantom]

Hey, All - a friend of mine told me that his aunt is having to rehome her 140 chickens because she has been diagnosed with an enlarged heart due to chicken and duck keeping. I have never heard of anything like that - wondering if it’s just a case of misinformation and I can’t ask her directly but curious if anyone has ever heard of anything like that? I was watching my daughter tote one of our hens around as he told me all of this and was like, whaaa?

What the heck??? How would she get that from keeping chickens?

 

[Redguitar77]

What the crap??? How would she get that from keeping chickens?

That’s what has me scratching my head - apparently the doc told her she had to rehome them immediately.

 

[Folly's place]

Asthma? Congestive heart failure and can't work that hard? Third or fourth hand 'information' gets garbled often. or the doctor is the one confused?
Mary

 

[keesmom]

I have never heard of a heart condition that can be directly attributed to the keeping of poultry. Lungs are a different story. Bird Fancier's Lung is a known condition, and an allergic reaction to the dust produced by birds.

Are you sure it was the heart? Bird Fancier's Lung is known as hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Though it's most often associated with pigeon keeping.

 

[The Phantom]

That’s what has me scratching my head - apparently the doc told her she had to rehome them immediately.

Phhh... did they live in her bedroom?! Nonsense!

 

[Folly's place]

That's why we have facemasks! I'm careful, having asthma. Dust is not good to inhale for anyone.
Mary

 

[Tesumph]

That's why we have facemasks! I'm careful, having asthma. Dust is not good to inhale for anyone.
Mary

I’m also asthmatic AND have an unknown heart problem. A lot of things set either off, but if you’re careful I don’t see how either would worsen by owning chickens. Just wearing a mask and knowing physical limits goes a long way.

Sounds like she got a diagnosis and the doctor had no idea what the cause was so he chalked it up to her chicken farm. Or, she was struggling to care for them physically or they were causing stress so he recommended rehoming. Sad either way, I hope she just downsized instead of totally getting rid of her hobby.

 

[Folly's place]

Me too! But we really don't know the story, so hope it does go well.
We have a sick friend who's had a kidney transplant, among other things. His doctors ALL told him that having chickens was totally out of the question. I sure wouldn't argue with that one...
Mary