Dust

[crooked stripe]

Does any one have a good fix for all the dust from the chicks. I spend a ton of time cleaning and it is just a little to cold for the coop. It is still worth cleaning and watching them grow. Just hopeing. John

 

[MissPrissy]

They are dusty critters. No cure for it that I know of and I have been doing this for a very long time. However, if you do find a magic cure please let me know ASAP! LOL

 

[TheFunnyFarm]

I have 34 chicks in a 3x3x8 stock tank in our family room dust doesn't seem to be a problem yet........but now I'm freaking out because I started thinking they would have to be here for about 5 or 6 weeks (wisconsin weather) may be longer........I'v gone down right chicken CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[crooked stripe]

I clean 2 times a day and there is no way I can keep up. My chicks are just 4 weeks. The wife seems to enjoy keeping them in the family room so I just keep cleaning. They flap their wings and it looks like a snow storm. I am waiting for things to start disappearing from the dust. Eyes aren't what they use to be. John

 

[Kaneke]

nylon net, tulle, or "no see um" netting over the brooder ?

wiping down with microfibre cloth ?

furnace filter except where the heat lamp is ?

feather duster from flylady.net ?

just ideas ...

I liked the idea of using alfalfa pellets rather than shavings ... I wonder if that would cut down the dust, or at least change the character of the dust ?

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Nope there is no cure except to clean and dust alot!!!...There is a craft store in DC that specializes in a brand of whimsical furniture its called Dust Furniture...Heck, I have that here all the time with chickies in a brooder box in the house...lol...so I now have classified my house furniture my dust furniture

I also take my reading glasses off that helps alot not to see it

 

[GwenFarms]

Use cob littler, or pine pellets instead of shavings and there is no dust

 

[skeeter9]

Are pine pellets something you get at the critter store?

 

[propagata]

Any one know when the dust starts? My chicks are two weeks old and so far it hasn't been a problem, but as I am a neat freak it would be nice to know so I can move them into the garage Does the dust come from the bedding?

 

[crooked stripe]

I believe the dust comes from feather development. I like to look at is as the feathers grow in little tubes and as the feathers grow the tubes fall apart exposing the feathers thus make dust. I keep the brooder in the barn where I store my rc airplanes and at times the dust gets so bad you can't see the designs on the wings. This only takes a few days from a dozen chicks. Cleaning is well worth it when you can get hand raised chicks. Just part of life. I have no degree in chickenology just what I see. I think the dust starts as soon as the feathers start. Within a week or so. John