4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[JoanneFrizzle]

Hi,

 

We have had our two young frizzles six days now and I think I might be allergic to their dander and droppings. I have asthma and cant have furry animals as they make me wheeze. Thought chickens would be ok as they are outside and not furry!

 

The first three days I emptied their droppings tray as I'd lined it with newspaper. I did get a little wheezy, so my daughter said she would do this and clean them. I have kept my distance for three days now , but am still wheezy. We are going to see how I go, and hopefully things will settle. I dont want to re-home my lovely chooks, but it they make me ill, it might have to happen. We really cant affort to lose the monely on the new pink eglu either.

a friend has said it's probably bird fancier's chest.

 

 

One very unhappy Joanne

[Alis girls]

Try taking your inhalers before cleaning out eglu and wear a mask - British Lung foundation do good ones or used to. wear gloves too and probably have an overall or something which you can don to do it and keep in shed or something. Otherwise get daughter to do nasties and enjoy them from afar and all the eggs

[Tiggy]

oh dear, you need to get your asthma checked out it could just be a seasonal flare up & nothing to do with the chickens - fingers crossed - try taking some antihistamine

[Raina]

Hi,

 

I have asthma, and am allergic to my dogs & rats (it's only mild though )

 

 

I have noticed the past week though that my asthma has flared up a bit, my mums has too.

 

Maybe it could be something to do with the weather?

 

 

Raina

[mags]

Mine has flared up too this last few weeks, I thing it the weather

Best go for a wee check up

 

Should do that my self!

 

Mags

[Helly Welly]

I agree, wait and see how things go before making any decisions. The weather has quite a big effect on asthma so it may just be coincidence.

[JoanneFrizzle]

Hi

 

Thanks everyone for your comments. Will just see how things go. Dont really want to go to the doctor yet, as he'll just give me steroids and say get rid of the chickens

Am going to give it a few more days, unless I get worse.

 

If I do need to re-home chooks, is anyone local interested?

 

Joanne

[Happy-Mama]

Hi Joanne, sorry to hear that you may be allergic to your Chickens, I hope you manage to get it sorted without having to rehome them.

[abwsco]

Joanne, I have asthma as does one of my DD's and we are both fine with our chickens BUT I always wear a good quality mask when I'm cleaning them out. Have you got any bedding material in your eglu or been using any powders, Diatom etc as that could be causing it as well.

[Hen Watch]

Hi Joanne,

 

I don't have asthma so I can't help on that. BUT..... just wanted to say that once you get into a routine with your new chooks you may change the droppings tray less frequently. Good husbandry is important, but when my chooks first arrived they pooped loads (maybe stress of arrival etc) and I was changing the poop tray every day. But after a few weeks they settle down.

 

Now I only clear out the poop tray once or twice a week tops. In winter it's twice a week as they go to bed earlier and therefore spend longer roosting and pooping, but in summer they go to bed later and are up earlier and I find they poop much less and need changing less often.

 

Not sure if that helps though.

[JoanneFrizzle]

Hi,

 

Thanks everyone. It's definitely the dander or droppings as we use shredded paper in the nest box and no straw - I'm allergic to that as well!

 

Am going to see the doctor this today, wont mention the chickens yet. Hopefully with some extra treatment to get me over this attack, and my daughter doing all the dirty stuff, I might be ok. Hubby is hoping so, as credit card bill for eglu will be arriving soon!

 

Joanne

[Chucky Mama]

Good Luck.

[Sam Palmer]

Good luck.

Fingers crossed.

Let us know how it goes.

[Redwing]

How about putting something absorbant in the poo tray instead of paper?

 

Aubiose is hemp based, Bedmax are big flakey woodshavings, both are very good

 

I live near Northampton and have bales of both so if you want to try them to see if they cause you problems I can bag some up for you so you don't have to buy big bales if they are no good

[JoanneFrizzle]

Thanks, you are all so kind. I have got a short course of steroids to sort me out. I will then keep my distance and just 'chook watch'. Fingers crossed everything will be ok.

 

Joanne

[Budgies]

Sorry to hear that Joanne, hope the course of steroids help.

 

I would also add that when we got the dog I was having all sorts of problems for the first two months or so, and then I gradually became more accustomed. It was weird because I was thinking he'd have to go - I was waking in the night unable to breathe and with my eyes streaming and throat clogged up, but it has eased over time.

 

I'd go with what the others have suggested, a good quality mask when you're getting up close and personal and see if things settle down. Good luck