Managing dust

[littlechick1005]

I cant seem to keep up with the dust my hens are creating in the barn. Its causing my other animals to cough...Its mid winter I have no other place to keep them asside from the barn, suggestions on dust managment. Theyre stall is kept tidy and clean...perhaps a barn vacc may help? Suggestions please

 

[AlienChick]

All birds are extremely dusty, especially when they're molting.
Sorry I'm not much help with a solution.

 

[duckinnut]

This might help some. If you have electricity in the barn I would put an exhaust fan in a window if there is one nearby the chickens hang out or cut a hole in the wall and install a bathroom exhaust fan. While it won't take care of all of it but will control some.

 

[donrae]

What are you using for bedding? My coop is shavings and I've not had that issue.

 

[littlechick1005]

I use pine shavings, same bales I have for my horses and goats...when I first lay down the fresh shavings its great, nice and clean, it seems like dust is overkill within 3 days, theres even a thick coating on their heat lamp within that time span too...im hoping the downsize will help, as of today im down from 6 to 3. I clean their stall once a week, completely sweep the entire thing out and lay down half a bale of fresh shavings...I add horse hay in the corner to help keep them warm in the cold weather, perhaps that adds to the dust? We have no ventilation, I dont know as though we can add an exhaust fan though thats a great idea, its an old antique barn, mum doesnt like altering the perminent walls...wonder if there something else along those lines I could try internally? Something that sucks up dust in the stall? I have 2 geese at the other end of the barn, they are also dusty but no where near what my hens create for dust...its terrible.

 

[NosiphoChooks]

Maybe they are sratching up the barn floor for a dust bath, perhaps if you get a baby bath or something and fill it with sand and DE then this will be less dusty and they will choose to bathe in this instead?!