How to handle MY allergies, while taking care of the chickens

[sarahswank]

So it has been confirmed... I definitely am allergic to chickens. Not as a food, but as a live animal. probably the dander because my response is pretty much eyes and respiratory. Just having 3 young chicks in my house for a night, and I have symptoms flair back up. I already take daily allergy pills, plus a nose spray, and 4x a year an allergy shot, so the only logical step is moving toward less contact with the allergen, since I cant really bump up my daily medicine.

So what do I do when it comes time for daily care in the coop? Has anyone tried masks? or do you guys recommend something else?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I would use a mask and perhaps a pair of safety glasses. I'm not allergic to my chickens, but I always wear a mask and glasses (or a bandana) while I'm cleaning and such. I don't use it for general feeding and watering, but for cleaning its a must!

 

[sarahswank]

I would use a mask and perhaps a pair of safety glasses. I'm not allergic to my chickens, but I always wear a mask and glasses (or a bandana) while I'm cleaning and such. I don't use it for general feeding and watering, but for cleaning its a must!

does your bandana do much good? I know that I will have to see for myself if it is enough for me. but I cant picture it filtering much.

 

[donrae]

Get your chicks out of the house. They can be brooded just fine in a garage or other protected outbuilding.

For daily feeding and watering, once they're outside in a non-confined environment, I wonder if it will be that bad for you. Air flow does wonders to blow that stuff away. I think you might be able to get by just with the fresh air, or a mask. For larger cleaning projects like my once a year shovel-out, if I were you I'd hire/barter someone to do it for you. I don't know what climate you are in, or if your coop is completed yet, but you'll want to have extra ventilation, something you can close up if the weather's horrible, but you can get lots and lots of air flow other times to blow the dander away.

I don't know if grown chicken have as much dander as chicks? I know chicks in the house are horrible, tons of dust. I'm not sure the grown birds shed that much. Things might get better as they feather out!

 

[sarahswank]

Get your chicks out of the house. They can be brooded just fine in a garage or other protected outbuilding.

For daily feeding and watering, once they're outside in a non-confined environment, I wonder if it will be that bad for you. Air flow does wonders to blow that stuff away. I think you might be able to get by just with the fresh air, or a mask. For larger cleaning projects like my once a year shovel-out, if I were you I'd hire/barter someone to do it for you. I don't know what climate you are in, or if your coop is completed yet, but you'll want to have extra ventilation, something you can close up if the weather's horrible, but you can get lots and lots of air flow other times to blow the dander away.

I don't know if grown chicken have as much dander as chicks? I know chicks in the house are horrible, tons of dust. I'm not sure the grown birds shed that much. Things might get better as they feather out!

unforunately, no garage or other building to put them in. Most of our chickens are NOT at my place, only sick ones come here. I did move them to a room I do not frequent,cracked a window and put a fan in the door way to air moving out the window instead of back into my house. I have two chicks who are sick (and one who just kept getting picked on), and I am willing to put up with feeling pretty miserable until they feel better and can rejoin the rest.

The big cleaning projects I know my friend/partner will do for me. The coop is complete (other then we dont have power!), but we already plan on adding more ventilation. I didnt think about it, but your right, that should help out since I dont plan on spending much time IN the coop with the chickens beyond the quick daily stuff.

Good to know that it atleast seems that it will get better as they feather out. LOL, I have hope!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

does your bandana do much good? I know that I will have to see for myself if it is enough for me. but I cant picture it filtering  much.

I only use the bandanna when I run out of masks. I fold it in half and tuck it down into the collar of my shirt. It works pretty well, much better than wearing nothing!

 

[cecosugi]

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I would add to it for anyone else that may be searching.

I have been to an allergist, and have learned SO much. She says to swab your nostrils with vaseline before going out to the barn. Then you blow your nose when you come back in. In theory, the vaseline would trap the inhalants, like your nose hair, except more effectively.