How to prevent coop from getting dusty?

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Hmmmm... So there is dust HIGH up, you brush it down to ground level with a feather duster. Then the chickens (which arguably are living flapping feather dusters) flap on the ground, and then magically the dust reappears on the objects high up ? It isn't new dust, it is just cycling from top to bottom and back again.

Use a damp cloth to dust, it will pick it up, then rinse out the rags, the dirt will be in the water, no more cycle of dust.

Feather dusters only work if you wash the floor.

If you turn on a vacuum the dust flies back up due to the forced air coming out the vacuum's backside. You will work twice as hard vacuuming for half the results. Water is the only way to capture dust. (People with dust allergies dislike vacuums, and flapping chickens )

The shop vac suggestion would work, I suggest leaving the butt end of the vacuum outside so the forced air stays outside and the finer dust that will go straight through the filter ends up outside

 

[aart]

If you turn on a vacuum the dust flies back up due to the forced air coming out the vacuum's backside.

No, the filter catches 99% of it.

 

[NatJ]

If you turn on a vacuum the dust flies back up due to the forced air coming out the vacuum's backside. You will work twice as hard vacuuming for half the results. Water is the only way to capture dust. (People with dust allergies dislike vacuums, and flapping chickens )

That would depend on the vacuum. I know someone with dust allergies who really likes the style of vacuum that uses water for a filter: the convenience of a vacuum to collect the dust, and the effectiveness of water for trapping that dust. For other styles of vacuums, some bags/filters catch a lot more of the dust than others, so paying attention to that detail can make a big difference.

 

[linguini]

Hmmmm... So there is dust HIGH up, you brush it down to ground level with a feather duster. Then the chickens (which arguably are living flapping feather dusters) flap on the ground, and then magically the dust reappears on the objects high up ? It isn't new dust, it is just cycling from top to bottom and back again.

Use a damp cloth to dust, it will pick it up, then rinse out the rags, the dirt will be in the water, no more cycle of dust.

Feather dusters only work if you wash the floor.

If you turn on a vacuum the dust flies back up due to the forced air coming out the vacuum's backside. You will work twice as hard vacuuming for half the results. Water is the only way to capture dust. (People with dust allergies dislike vacuums, and flapping chickens )

The shop vac suggestion would work, I suggest leaving the butt end of the vacuum outside so the forced air stays outside and the finer dust that will go straight through the filter ends up outside

Or use something like a swiffer duster or dry sweeping mop sheets? it picks up the dust easily without getting the surface wet.

https://www.amazon.com/Swiffer-Dusters-Surface-Refills-Unscented/dp/B076DJQDLZ/ref=sr_1_5?crid=17HKFIY3GNIKT&keywords=swiffer+duster&qid=1673528697&sprefix=swiftters+dust,aps,58&sr=8-5

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

No, the filter catches 99% of it.

Depends on the filter... Shop vacs have coarser filters

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Or use something like a swiffer duster or dry sweeping mop sheets? it picks up the dust easily without getting the surface wet.

https://www.amazon.com/Swiffer-Dusters-Surface-Refills-Unscented/dp/B076DJQDLZ/ref=sr_1_5?crid=17HKFIY3GNIKT&keywords=swiffer+duster&qid=1673528697&sprefix=swiftters+dust,aps,58&sr=8-5

Yes, that works, personally I prefer the water on an ordinary rag since I am cheap on things that are tossed after use. I dislike that they add to landfills, I like washing my rags instead... But I agree that would be an option.

I used to work as a cleaning lady (when I was much much younger) and I would spray sticky cleaning products on a synthetic duster wand. (I think it was called Pledge) but it would ruin the cleaning wand as it was not washable afterwards.

By the way, a damp cloth will not really wet the surface (not good on a nice wood surface but I assume her coop is like mine, and not much nice polished wood)

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

my coop has a tendency to get extremely dusty no matter what bedding i use. there are 12 chickens and i have tried mulched leaves, pine shavings, and straw to no avail. i have to keep a feather duster in the coop so i can dust off the 1/2 inch of dust that accumilates every few days. my coop has two large ventilation windows on the doors and a smaller rectangular ventilation hole on the rear end about 5 1/2 feet high closer to their roosts. i also open my coop doors and let it air out about once a week.

should i add more ventilation to keep the dust down? would more ventilation even help with the dust? is there any bedding that's actually dust free? im going to try hemp bedding soon (getting it delivered by january), is hemp less dusty? this has been an ongoing problem for years but its getting worse and im worried that its going to start affecting their respiratory tracts so any advice would be much appreciated.

Hemp for the win! I also open all windows everyday unless wet weather. Good luck. Dust is inevitable. In the hot weather you can use the hose with 'mist' option and do a quick quick mist. I do it in the summer if its super hot and humid. Couldnt hurt.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Hemp for the win! I also open all windows everyday unless wet weather. Good luck. Dust is inevitable. In the hot weather you can use the hose with 'mist' option and do a quick quick mist. I do it in the summer if its super hot and humid. Couldnt hurt.

I miss summer

In summer I can push all the bedding out and wash the floor underneath...

In summer they dust bathe outside... In winter I give to them a dust bath in the coop filled with peat moss. (It gives them something to do) but a dust bath made of peat in a closed space, THAT is dust!!

 

[Krugerrand]

Whenever I see this thread pop back up, I keep wanting to reply:

How to prevent coop from getting dusty? .... Don't put chickens in it.

eventually, the 'snarky' in me won out.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

No, the filter catches 99% of it.

(I meant that when you turn on the vacuum the dust on the floor flies up, I realize it wasn't clear, sorry about that)