Should you wear a dust mask in the coop?

[OutdoorFun4]

I just visited a local farmer who warned me to wear a dust mask in the coop.
He has 75 chickens. I will have 6. I haven't heard of this before ... is it necessary ?

 

[Katy]

I do when I'm cleaning them, but not when I go in to fill feeders or gather eggs.

 

[Indiana hens]

Bird feces carry many diseases and molds. Many serious, sometimes fatal, lung infections occur from inhaling the dust.

 

[ibpboo]

Depends on how much dust you stir up while cleaning. If you are just collecting eggs with a small amount of chickens as 6, I would not think it would be necessary. I sometimes put a bandana around my nose when scraping the wood perches as it can at times get dusty. Other times I just hold my breath, and turn my head to get a new breath.

75 chickens is a lot and there probably is a lot of feather dust etc in his coop.

 

[HennyPennies2007]

Yes, especially when cleaning....there are germs that can cause a flu like disease (Histoplasmosis) that can be life threatening to the lungs. I have not beeen wearing a msk in my coop and I know that I am going to repent of it later. My hubby has a nice respirator and I really should be using it. I rinse my sinuses out with a nettipot after every coop cleaning.... masks make me so claustrophobic, but definately recommended!!!

 

[gritsar]

Yes you should, for all the reasons already mentioned. I have a bunch of the disposable kind that have filters on them; the same ones they use in the commercial chicken houses.

 

[patandchickens]

I don't wear a mask for just daily chores (clean droppings board, open and close popdoor, collect eggs, refill water and feeders as needed, stand there like an idiot for fifteen minutes watching chickens do nothing in particular, that sort of thing

).

But I have started wearing one for *anything* that kicks up dust, including seemingly innocuous things like moving the pedestle that the waterer is on, or removing a divider between pens, or sweeping the aisle... because otherwise I come down with a horrible hacking wheezing chest cold for several days. I dunno if I've become slightly allergic or what, but, I really have no interest in developing further respiratory problems so I am really trying to remember the mask.

Pat

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other post.
Day to day chores (no)
Cleaning the coop (yes)

 

[OutdoorFun4]

Thank you all for the information. I will make sure that we have masks for cleaning the coop or any other dusty/poopy projects.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

I have found that the disposable masks used when sanding drywall work great for coop cleaning and similar dusty chicken-related projects.