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

[Beaglegal]

With the N95 masks, do they need to be replaced after each use, after a few uses, or what? I'm not sure

You can reuse them, especially if you store them well, but you should probably replace them periodically. Mine got left out and rained on

 

[rosemarythyme]

With the N95 masks, do they need to be replaced after each use, after a few uses, or what? I'm not sure

I reuse them but I store them in the original box when not in use. Obviously if they become soiled I'd toss them. Tossed my last one after dusting birds and cleaning the coop of mites.

 

[Folly's place]

I always throw mine out. they will have a coating of 'stuff' on the outside, not someting I want to store and reuse!
Right now is an exceptional time, and without a face mask, I would postpone coop cleaning until I could buy some. Throw some more shavings out there, have ventilation, and move on to something else.
For @Momplus1 , maybe another workup? I'd want more answers, myself. My asthma is allergy related, and finding out what my triggers are has really helped. Biopsies done? None of my business, but still...
Mary

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I always throw mine out. they will have a coating of 'stuff' on the outside, not someting I want to store and reuse!
Right now is an exceptional time, and without a face mask, I would postpone coop cleaning until I could buy some. Throw some more shavings out there, have ventilation, and move on to something else.
For @Momplus1 , maybe another workup? I'd want more answers, myself. My asthma is allergy related, and finding out what my triggers are has really helped. Biopsies done? None of my business, but still...
Mary

Good morning Mary. I have a pulmonologist that I see on a regular basis. I've had so many chest xrays and CT Scans. It took many months for the fluid to clear from my chest, and that was even after two thoroscentisis (?sp?) while in the hospital to help me breathe. They sent the fluid drained out for many tests and after everything, they still don't know and have labeled it idiopathic. I feared the worst but they've assured me that nothing alarming has shown up on scans. I've not had asthma before this but my family doctor says that I definitely have it now. It's really frustrating not knowing anything and basically treating symptoms but that's the only way I can do anything. If you have any other ideas, please share because I'd love to get to the bottom of this. I've considered going to one of the bigger hospitals in the state, but for now, I'll just get by with what I have. Luckily I have a box of at least twelve N95 masks to use.

 

[chickens really]

I'm allergic to chickens..my Son wears a respirator when he cleans my Coop.

 

[Folly's place]

I finally got scared enough about my asthma (denial is a wonderful thing!) to have skin testing done, decades ago. I'm allergic to dust mites, dogs, and cats, and finding this out helped me to alter my life a bit, and improve things a lot. Still have dogs and cats, and love them away from my face, wash up a lot, and eliminated drapes, rugs, and have the vacuum system with the tank in the garage.
Ask if allergy testing might matter to you, I don't know, but ask.
Dust of any sort is still BAD for the lungs, especially already unhappy lungs.
Mary

 

[igorsMistress]

I have gotten sick from cleaning my coop even with a mask. Had a bad cough after my last big cleaning. I went to buy some masks to clean my coop before they were sold out, and I didn't even come home with any. I picked up a pack of 50 and then googled how effective they were. A bandana filters (11%) double the particles that a basic dust mask (6%) does. You need expensive surgical masks to filter 33% of particles, and even that is nowhere near the 99% that a respirator filters. From now on, it's bandanas for me.

N95 masks aren't that expensive normally and they are worth the cost.

 

[igorsMistress]

I will probably end up getting a respirator, especially since I don't have poop boards yet. I was going to get one last visit, but all the good dust masks and respirators were sold out. Maybe I'll order one. I agree, it's no joke. My uncle was just diagnosed with a lung condition related to chicken keeping and he got rid of his chickens. I have around 30 birds without poop boards, so it can get to be a big job, and it's hard not to breathe it.

Your poop board will create much more dust if you fill it with PDZ. A LOT more. I got rid of mine for that reason.

 

[igorsMistress]

Thank you for this post! I had a really bad time with sepsis, pneumonia, pleural effusion and ended up with a week's stay at the hospital in 2018. The doctors spent a lot of time trying to figure out why on earth a 38 year old was this sick, just out of the blue. They never figured it out, but I still have a stabbing pain in my right lung anytime I try take a deep breath and I can't "move much air" (the doctors say that every time they listen to my lungs and make me do a breathing treatment) still to this day. I use my ProAir (emergency) inhaler daily, along with daily treatments day and night. I didn't have chickens then, but this information can make a huge difference to me and many others. I can't believe that I've never heard about this. Is it worse if one cleans out their coops every other week vs cleaning out once or twice a year? I am really shocked about this. Thankfully I just purchased a box of N95 masks right before all the shelves cleared off

Maybe try a shop vac with the dust filter bags. I am allergic to chickens and clean out my coop once a year. No poop boards, no ramp to the roost and I vacuum surfaces in my coop every other week. I stir the litter every week and wear a mask for that.

 

[igorsMistress]

I've never heard of this disease but I wear masks when I stir the litter in my coop weekly and whenever I vacuum. I do 1 major clean out a year and I'd like to find a respirator for that duty.