Sore Throat

[ChickenBuffs]

I'm very new to the chicken game and have a strange question.
We've had our chickens for about a week and a half. We're keeping them in a brooder in the laundry room.
Everytime I clean out their, well, anything - water, food, or the entire brooder - I get a sore throat. Any idea what might be going on? No one else in the family has complained about it.

Thanks!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

That doesn't sound normal at all. Could you be allergic?

I would definitely ask your doctor about this.

 

[donrae]

I'd move them outside as soon as possible, and consider wearing a mask while caring for them until then. Chicks produce an incredible amount of dust and dander, and you're breathing that stuff in all the time. Most folks with sensitivities do much better once the birds are outside, the air circulation helps tremendously.

Despite what many folks think, it's entirely possible to brood chicks outdoors. An enclosed building, free from rain, drafts or predators is pretty much all you need. The heat lamp takes care of the rest.

 

[bobbi-j]

I'd move them outside as soon as possible, and consider wearing a mask while caring for them until then. Chicks produce an incredible amount of dust and dander, and you're breathing that stuff in all the time. Most folks with sensitivities do much better once the birds are outside, the air circulation helps tremendously.

Despite what many folks think, it's entirely possible to brood chicks outdoors. An enclosed building, free from rain, drafts or predators is pretty much all you need. The heat lamp takes care of the rest.

That's what we do. The last time I raised chicks, I hatched out 25 here in my dining room, and had 25 delivered. The ones I hatched lived in a rubbermaid container for a day or so until the delivered ones arrived. Then they all went outside to the coop. My "brooder" was a piece of 8" lawn edging, formed in an oval shape. I had two heat lamps at different heights, and plenty of room for them to get away from the heat if they needed to. I'm hoping to get 3 dozen chicks in a few weeks, and these will be brooded the same way.



It's kind of hard to see, but this is what my setup looked like.

 

[ChickenBuffs]

Thanks so much for the advice. We plan to move them out very soon.

 

[Messipaw]

Do you use DE? DE is not good to inhale or get on your skin. It can irritate.