alison Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Has anyone ever know anyone develop an allergy to chickens. I have had a vioent reaction and my face is puffy, swollen and red, with like hive bumos all over so they almost join up and I look like Miss Piggy. Both my hands are inflamed and blown up too, my eyes are almost closed, I have been taking antihistimine by the handful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Are you sure this isn't an insect bite reaction Hope you soon feel better Buffie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 you need to see a Dr, you can develop an allergy to anything at any time, it may be the chickens, or the food or the bedding or anything you are using - if you get breathing problems or swelling of your lips or tongue you need urgent medical attention Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 Thank you for responding. I have been to A&E and going back to my GP this afternoon. It came on very suddenly at the weekend. I must admit, I do snuggle them at night when they are sleepy an put my face on their feathers, just like I do my cat, or rather he does to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlass Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 I have developed Asthma since getting my chickens...thankfully it is now under control but you sound to be having a severe reaction indeed. I wear a face mask when I clean them out and although I stroke them from time to time I avoid putting my face too near the feathers. I do hope your reaction isn't because of the chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa33 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Oh no Alison. I hope you are not allergic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Oh heck. I hope you soon feel better. Touch wood I'm OK with the chickens, but certainly can't sleep with a feather pillow......it puts me into status asthmaticus within minutes. Maybe your chicken snuggling will have to be curtailed a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 Lisa, so do I, cos I am loving having them! 25 eggs in a week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Could you get an allergy prick test done? I had one done as a kid, and I was allergic to every thing apart from food - with severe reactions to cats, feathers, dust, mites, pollen and trees. But didn't appear to be allergic to dogs. Over the years my asthma has disappeared - still allergic to cats but have developed an allergy to dogs in the last year! So it is possible to develop allergies. A test may be able to determine what is causing the reaction. The other option is to get someone else to do the chickens for a week or two and see if your symptoms disappear. If they do, and they return when you go near the chickens, then you will know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Poor you! I think allergies to feathered creatures generally are reasonably common, but is mostly breathing problems - I'm sure your DR knows better than I do though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electricbarbarella Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 hope you are feeling better, could it be the bedding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 You can have a skin test done to test for allergies to feather. Not worked in that area for some time but it was possible to be desensitesed (excuse spelling). See GP for referral. My son was allergic to cats and she told me to get rid of them. Didnt, just cleaned the place better. Best of luck. Just realised I cant sleep on feather pillows, they make me wheeze. Damn. Havent got my chickens yet! Dont despair allergies that you describe can be a new medicine you have taken, something eaten, all sorts of things. Hope your reactions are calming down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 It could be an allergy, possibly to their feathers . I'd try staying well away from them for a while, not necessarily sending them away, just you not having contact with them, so get someone else to do the cleaning, feeding and egg collecting, and see if the symptoms subside. Tough decisions though if you are allergic to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Poor you, that sounds like quite a scarey allergic reaction . I hope you can identify what it is (and that it's not the chickens ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Clan Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Poor you that sounds serious , hopfully not your chooks but something you use for their bedding or food ( I know cluthing at straws ) , maybe stop getting so close to them i know I cant sleep with feather pillows ( can't breate) but not had any problems with my girls (but don't put my face too close though if i do I wear a mask just incase ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Could it be the dust in the layers pellets? I am very frightened of this myself. Make sure you eliminate everything else before you eliminate the hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa33 Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Make sure you eliminate everything else before you eliminate the hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 It may not be the chooks themselves and could be diatomaceous earth, mite powder, lice powder (if you use any of those) or the bedding. If you can, get someone to change the bedding and clean out any powders, and exclude contact with everything, including your chooks for s few days. If you improve, you can gradually re-introduce things (chooks first !). If you don't improve, you'll need to look elsewhere for the cause My brother is asthmatic and also seems to live on anti-histamines, and his test showed he was allergic to everything except nettles and dust-mites. My cheerfully telling him "so you can have both a garden and pets then" didn't go down well Wishing you well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted August 12, 2008 Author Share Posted August 12, 2008 Well, thank goodness it doesn't seem to be the chickens! My fantastic GP took one look at me and said, you are having a severe reaction to the meds you are on! The A&E told me I wasn't as I have been taking them for a month - ramapril for high blood pressure. The GP is furious and is contacting the hospital as all they needed to do was check the drug book ( BNF) and it states quite clearly that ramapril can cause angio-oedema - severe swelling of deeper skin tissues, most commonly of the eyelids, lips, hands, and feet. I had a funny feeling, and didn't take my tablet yesterday, GP said thank god for that, you could have had an anaphylactic shock, especially as I was so far advanced in the reaction. My DD has a nut allergy so am well aware of allergies. Well, 8 steroids a day for 5 days and I should be sorted, but won't be able to have ACE inhibitors ever again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Thank goodness you didn't take that tablet yesterday so glad you don't have to get rid of the chooks too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electricbarbarella Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 you are having a time of it at the moment aren't you. hope youre feeling better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 So the bad news is, you need to find a better A&E Good news is you didn't take the meds yesterday (thank goodnes!), your GP sounds sensible, you're going to be OK (eventually - and you may rattle a bit on all those pills ), and you're not allergic to your chooks OK, enough of the Pollyanna and hope you're soon feeling well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa33 Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 What a stupid hospital. At least it's not the chooks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Yippee and the relief knowing you are ok with chickens will bring blood pressure down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Hope you are soon feeling better, I'm glad it was not your chooks. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
