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

[Lyranonamous]

I'm curious if those of you who have gotten sick, were you cleaning the whole coop? Just the poop board? Do you use shavings or sand or dirt floors? We use stall sweet under the roosting poles, and clean it using a kitty litter scoop-and there is some dust but nothing like removing shavings. What's been your experience?

 

[quietc]

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 had hypersensitivity pneumonia in 2015. I was on oxygen for 3.5 months and house ridden. I was in a high danger status with a great possibility of dying. I was in the city then and did not have chickens at the time. I now have to take a profilactic pill for the rest of my life. So yes I agree with you, wear masked and gloves when cleaning a coop or a bird

 

[polly pullet]

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.

tamdeva: What did you do to recuperate? Any specific medication?

 

[Mariposa Hills]

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.

Thanks for the words of wisdom. I appreciate it. It’s easy to say, “Oh, I’ll just putter for a bit in the coop” and not bother to get my mask...

My elderly neighbor passed away this past summer from pulmonary fibrosis. She was told it was caused by years of cleaning her chicken coop without a mask.

 

[cutnglass]

And of course, just looked into purchasing masks for cleaning and the prices are all sky-high because of coronavirus preppers. I suppose I'll have to use a bandana around my face till prices come down. I had never heard of this!

I've been searching for patterns/instructions for making a cloth mask, like ones used in asian countries for years. There are many variations out there, but I found one which allows for insertion of a replaceable filter layer. There is a youtube video which shows detailed sewing. Even though it is in Japanese, there is English on both the video text instructions, and pattern pieces. There is a downloadable pdf file for the pattern pieces on the blog page, as well as embedded youtube video:
https://blog.naver.com/autoyou11/221853586653
During corona virus outbreak, she has made the pattern free.
Also, there is a place to insert bendable wire, so that it form-fits along the bridge of the nose.

I have not made this one, but have downloaded the pattern, since we only have a few masks left.

Note: On webpage, you want to make sure that you click "translate" in your browser when it loads, so that you can read English. The video and pattern has some English text.

--
Mary S.

 

[mbrobbins]

My brother has always had chickens and birds since he was a teen, but after having heart surgery and then developing pneumonia which has scarred his lungs,, he was told to get rid of all his birds including chickens and pet parrots and he stresses to me to wear a mask when cleaning the coop. it might have not affected you when you were young but you might not always be immune to the diseases when you are older

 

[Swilso3]

Lung damage is cumulative, so not having a problem before doesn't mean that it won't catch up with you later! Masks are cheap, and new lungs are very expensive...
Mary

Hard to find any masks these days!

 

[gwenniet]

PLEASE WEAR A MASK! or in these times, at least a covering of some sort. i have a friend who still suffers because of this disease and another who passed away after disassembling a coop. And it is not only with chicken owners, it also affects any coop with birds - falcons, pigeons, etc. And yes, it's very difficult to diagnose!

 

[Folly's place]

For @eulogos , or anyone with lung issues that don't just go away: Get a referral to a pulmonologist, talk about your lifestyle (chickens! farm dust!) and have some testing done. Or, and infectious diseases expert. Call and ask questions. Right now isn't a great time to have to 'doctor', but it is important anyway.
Sick lungs only have a few ways to react, so 'symptoms' and 'diagnosis' aren't so identical.
Mary

 

[igorsMistress]

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

There are filter bags for fine dust particles. I use thise and that hasn't been my experience. I still wear a mask when I clean because I stir up the litter and that creates dust.