How to Protect Your Birds From Hazardous Smoke Levels????

[Broken Fox]

I am in Roy ,Washington . I made an indoor coop and have been cleaning it daily. It’s a bit hectic and some have said stupid. But it works and it’s better than having them die.

I bought cheap bathroom exhaust fans $15.00 a piece, dryer vent hose and made an exhaust system that vents out a window to keep the indoor air as fresh as possible.

When I clean I mist the area with an anti-viral spray called Virex.

 

[Spikeandbean]

Is anyone *not* bringing their chickens in? We have a detached garage that leaks like a sieve (VERY old and kinda rickety), and I have no space in my house to bring them in, now that we're all working from home, etc. I think the best I could do would be to put them in the pop-up puppy pen in the garage that they used when they were chicks (they're 12 weeks now), but it's dark and still smoky in there - so I've been thinking it's not necessarily worth stressing them out to have a small space and no entertainment.

For the last two days I've been putting wet sheets up over the smaller part of their run, and I've hooked up a box fan with an air filter strapped on (which is probably an exercise in futility) to give them a spot with cleaner air coming in. Their coop isn't big enough to lock them in, so my focus has been on giving them as protected an outdoor space as possible. But our air levels have been ranging from "unhealthy" to "very unhealthy" to "hazardous," and I'm concerned that what I'm doing isn't enough. ARGH, this is awful.

 

[piminuse]

Is anyone *not* bringing their chickens in? We have a detached garage that leaks like a sieve (VERY old and kinda rickety), and I have no space in my house to bring them in, now that we're all working from home, etc. I think the best I could do would be to put them in the pop-up puppy pen in the garage that they used when they were chicks (they're 12 weeks now), but it's dark and still smoky in there - so I've been thinking it's not necessarily worth stressing them out to have a small space and no entertainment.

For the last two days I've been putting wet sheets up over the smaller part of their run, and I've hooked up a box fan with an air filter strapped on (which is probably an exercise in futility) to give them a spot with cleaner air coming in. Their coop isn't big enough to lock them in, so my focus has been on giving them as protected an outdoor space as possible. But our air levels have been ranging from "unhealthy" to "very unhealthy" to "hazardous," and I'm concerned that what I'm doing isn't enough. ARGH, this is awful.

So many people are doing exactly what you're doing right now, and that's their best. The word "unprecedented" has been tossed around so much this year that it doesn't hold weight anymore, but that's what these fires are and as such no one really knows the short-term an long-term effects on us our our livestock/pets. Us with indoor birds might be the silly ones when all this blows over.

A few other things people have been doing include:

• locking them in the coop if its big enough as its easier to ventilate and keep clean
• suspending a wet sheet across the run, like a low roof, to create a smaller, but safer environment
• putting a pop up/ez up tent outdoors and putting wet towels/sheets over that if it doesn't come with sides
• converting a covered patio/deck into a run with tarps

If its an consolation, I know lots of folks who are unable to bring their birds in and lots of them haven't noted any ill-effects. My mom is still getting eggs daily and she's in the thick of the Alameda fires with air quality in the zone hazardous all week. Says its business as usual for her girls.

 

[Spikeandbean]

So many people are doing exactly what you're doing right now, and that's their best. The word "unprecedented" has been tossed around so much this year that it doesn't hold weight anymore, but that's what these fires are and as such no one really knows the short-term an long-term effects on us our our livestock/pets. Us with indoor birds might be the silly ones when all this blows over.

A few other things people have been doing include:

• locking them in the coop if its big enough as its easier to ventilate and keep clean
• suspending a wet sheet across the run, like a low roof, to create a smaller, but safer environment
• putting a pop up/ez up tent outdoors and putting wet towels/sheets over that if it doesn't come with sides
• converting a covered patio/deck into a run with tarps

If its an consolation, I know lots of folks who are unable to bring their birds in and lots of them haven't noted any ill-effects. My mom is still getting eggs daily and she's in the thick of the Alameda fires with air quality in the zone hazardous all week. Says its business as usual for her girls.

Thank you for the vote of confidence and additional ideas. I really appreciate it.

 

[Dancingwnature]

I am in Roy ,Washington . I made an indoor coop and have been cleaning it daily. It’s a bit hectic and some have said stupid. But it works and it’s better than having them die.

I bought cheap bathroom exhaust fans $15.00 a piece, dryer vent hose and made an exhaust system that vents out a window to keep the indoor air as fresh as possible.

When I clean I mist the area with an anti-viral spray called Virex.

I'm in

I am in Roy ,Washington . I made an indoor coop and have been cleaning it daily. It’s a bit hectic and some have said stupid. But it works and it’s better than having them die.

I bought cheap bathroom exhaust fans $15.00 a piece, dryer vent hose and made an exhaust system that vents out a window to keep the indoor air as fresh as possible.

When I clean I mist the area with an anti-viral spray called Virex.

Howdy fellow Washingtonian! My hen and I are out Newhalem way by the National Park. It sounds like you're doing all you can for your birds. In an earlier post of mine that listed how to care for birds in smoke season, it said to keep dust and mists of cleaners to a minimum. They shouldn't be inhaling antiviral chemicals, so maybe spray that on a rag and wipe things down? I know the gunk that coats everything is awful. You're south of Seattle, right? I spent the day in Seattle on Friday and I was stunned to see how much worse the smoke is down there!

 

[Broken Fox]

I'm in

Howdy fellow Washingtonian! My hen and I are out Newhalem way by the National Park. It sounds like you're doing all you can for your birds. In an earlier post of mine that listed how to care for birds in smoke season, it said to keep dust and mists of cleaners to a minimum. They shouldn't be inhaling antiviral chemicals, so maybe spray that on a rag and wipe things down? I know the gunk that coats everything is awful. You're south of Seattle, right? I spent the day in Seattle on Friday and I was stunned to see how much worse the smoke is down there!

I should have added.....DO NOT SPRAY WITH BIRDS PRESENT!

I remove my birds From the area I spray.

 

[Dancingwnature]

I should have added.....DO NOT SPRAY WITH BIRDS PRESENT!

I remove my birds From the area I spray.

I stand corrected! How's the smoke down your way today? Ours thinned enough so I could see the coop from my front door today! I know I'm grasping at straws here, but if I can't find something to interrupt the anxiety, I won't be just sane enough to care for my feather family!!

 

[Texas Transplant]

So many people are doing exactly what you're doing right now, and that's their best. The word "unprecedented" has been tossed around so much this year that it doesn't hold weight anymore, but that's what these fires are and as such no one really knows the short-term an long-term effects on us our our livestock/pets. Us with indoor birds might be the silly ones when all this blows over.

A few other things people have been doing include:

• locking them in the coop if its big enough as its easier to ventilate and keep clean
• suspending a wet sheet across the run, like a low roof, to create a smaller, but safer environment
• putting a pop up/ez up tent outdoors and putting wet towels/sheets over that if it doesn't come with sides
• converting a covered patio/deck into a run with tarps

If its an consolation, I know lots of folks who are unable to bring their birds in and lots of them haven't noted any ill-effects. My mom is still getting eggs daily and she's in the thick of the Alameda fires with air quality in the zone hazardous all week. Says its business as usual for her girls.

I believe a lot of the concern has more to do with long term effects.....for example in humans such as wildland firefighters, it is heart disease , emphysema and lung cancer from wildfire smoke exposure. Since chickens have highly sensitive respiratory systems, it would be of great concern for their wellbeing. That being said, not everyone can bring their birds indoors and the suggestions you've made are good alternatives.

 

[Marie2020]

I believe a lot of the concern has more to do with long term effects.....for example in humans such as wildland firefighters, it is heart disease , emphysema and lung cancer from wildfire smoke exposure. Since chickens have highly sensitive respiratory systems, it would be of great concern for their wellbeing. That being said, not everyone can bring their birds indoors and the suggestions you've made are good alternatives.

Would you mind adding this information in the thread "America is on Fire" please.

 

[Dancingwnature]

Chicken sleepover!

One thing I'm noticing is the STINK. Be prepared for it.

And congrats on the first egg--she's a trooper! I also have a hatchery BCM and her eggs started off on the lighter side, but have progressed to a nice medium brown (like dark store bought).
View attachment 2330899
These are from her first week, lightest to darkest. They're darker now, so while you may not get chocolate brown there's still hope for darker shades!

Congrats on Miss Leonor's first egg! I was just reading about Marans in Chicken Whisperer magazine, and they said that the BCM hens lay darker eggs the cooler the temperatures get. You'll be getting more and more beautiful dark eggs as we move towards the end of the smoke season!
What is your Maran's temperament like?