Has anyone got Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (Bird Keepers Lung/Flu)

[Folly's place]

The normal vacuums, shop vacs or others, shoot out fine dust particles, and wearing a dust mask is necessary when using them too. Cleaning the coop less often seems safer to me, rather than that weekly stir.
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

Cleaning the coop less often seems safer to me, rather than that weekly stir.

I spot clean under roosts (no poop boards) daily but only do full clean outs twice a year. Spot cleaning is just scooping up poop with a doggie pooper scooper. I didn't bother with masks at first and thankfully don't have allergy issues, but when I saw how much dust and dander went flying around with all the raking and shoveling, I figured it was better to be prudent and mask up (I have goggles too) for clean outs.

 

[tamdeva]

I have bronchitis acquired from way back in the army in the early 70s. I haven't experienced your problem but I never clean a coop or go into a building to handle birds without a mask.
There is a real thing called hen workers lung.

Has anyone got Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (Bird Keepers Lung/Flu) from Caring for or cleaning your coop? I came down with it in December 2019 after cleaning my coop, without a mask, in October! Was awful, I was VERY sick. Its now March 2020 and I am finally getting better. Please people wear a mask when cleaning or handling your birds and the coop.

I guess I was "lucky" lol, I got sick before the covid-19 went to a pandemic, and masks were still available, was using the ones from Harbor Freight for wood workers. NOW I have a respirator one with good filters, so nice and easier to breath with. Keeps out 99%.

 

[tamdeva]

The normal vacuums, shop vacs or others, shoot out fine dust particles, and wearing a dust mask is necessary when using them too. Cleaning the coop less often seems safer to me, rather than that weekly stir.
Mary

I use the deep litter method in my coop. I use shavings & DE and only clean when the coop is really dry (live in Arizona at 3,333 ft) and have a big door and window, and two chicken doors, so I air it out. But.....got to wear a good mask, and last time I cleaned I didn't! That was very stupid.

 

[Kazzandra]

I sometimes wear a mark but I agree you need a proper mask or good bandana, really.
I deep litter method and clean once a year, over multiple short sessions over a few days though, and unlike the person above me, live in a very wet area and only clean when the humidity is high (after a thunderstorm or such) to avoid high dust exposure. I just worked on this. I did think about a mask, but there have been none. Bandana is really a better choice for me at least, especially after reading the earlier post.
I honestly don't worry too much about it, as my chickens are healthy and I've run a constantly closed flock for years. But agree that it's always better to be safe than sorry if plausible.

 

[schmedlap]

feminine hygiene pads can be used as a respirator in a pinch

 

[SkyBlue49]

I will go back to wearing a mask again. In the winter, my glasses would fog up too bad to see, but the weather is better and it is time to do the coop. Masks on! Thanks for the reminders of how important it is.

 

[Bluecharm7]

Same, I need to replace my N95 but can’t find any due to hoarders and profiteering. I cleaned out my coop sans mask but I hope to find some soon

Farmtek still has the N95 masks. No respirators though.

 

[eulogos]

Can somebody tell me the symptoms of the different things one can get? Hypersensitivity pneumonitus versus histoplasmosis? I have had something for over 3 weeks and my doctor does not know what it is. I suspect it is either from potting soul or chicken dust.

 

[50-140]

I used to wear a half face North 7700 mask when I did my coop, needless to say now with the china virus you can't find one. What I wear when I'm bailing hay and will use for this week's coop cleaning is an RZ mask, they are still in stock in limited quantities.
They do filter 99% of .1 micron or greater. RZ