The battle of chicken dust

[Lee]

Quote:
Now, what a great idea! I've got some chicks coming the first of March. I will definitely try this.

Thanx!

 

[RockyToggRanch]

These buff orp's have necks like giraffs. Anything left too near their brooder is torn to shreds. Brats.

I just set up a big cage in the barn for them with a heat lamp and a tarp around it. That should work. Then I can bring in the shop vac and suck up the most of it. Then we'll start all over with the next batch.

 

[bikergirl]

"DUST"!!! I didn't sign up for dust!

 

[Eric in NC]

Quote:
What do furnace filters do that towels, pieces of cardboard, plywood etc. don't do?

My brooder has chicken wire across the top and I drape old towels over it - do the filters do any different or better?

 

[shelleyb1969]

Quote:
Here's a couple of the filters' advantages:

1. Better air circulation...with so much dust, the chicks need all the fresh air they can get. Just imagine yourself in the brooder with all that dust...wouldn't take long for your lungs to get messed up.

2. Visibility...when you cover the brooder up completely, the chicks are naturally gonna "freak out" when you remove the cover (towels, cardboard, etc) because they're not used to seeing anything other than themselves. With the furnace filters, they can see out and you can see in so it's much less frightening.

Hope this makes sense, Eric!

 

[Eric in NC]

Guess that makes sense - but you can't see through my furnace filters (will have to see if I can find some you can see through).

 

[shelleyb1969]

Quote:
For your brooder, just find the cheapy blue furnace filters...you can see through those. Each week, just take them off the brooder and either shake them out, or use low pressure on an air compressor and blow them out. But after a few weeks, you'll need to replace them anyway.

 

[birdbrain2]

all of you with dust issues, how many chicks do you have? i only have six in a 4x2x2 brooder and haven't had aby dust issues yet. they are growing feathers quick and will be 2 weeks old wed, is my lack of dust because i only have six or just because it hasn't hit me yet. i do have them in my unfinished basement so i am hoping it won't be a huge issue, but i do have computer and tv down here and my wife has her scrapbook stuff too. if her stuff gets ruined i am in deep doodoo.

 

[Imp]

About 3 years ago I raised 3 chicks in my den. I was under the impression that they couldn't be put out with the adult hens until they were the same size. So I kept them in the house for 5-6 months. I don't ever want to do that again.

Imp-still vacuuming

 

[tdgill]

I was wondering if that dust is dried poo and pine related...

because i'm not seeing any dust yet, my chicks are two and three weeks old, and i only have three. i have them on newspaper with paper towels now - which i am able to dump off the dried poo and flip the towel over. THEY EAT the pine shavings... but i did notice alot of dust just from the pine shavings....and i would imagine dried poo.

oh also...i don't notice any odor either
oh and I'm not the best duster anyway...so maybe i just don't notice any "new" dust. hahahahahahah