Pigeon Lung: What to know

IMPORTANT information for those who have pigeons! Bird Fancier’s Lung (BFL) or Pigeon Lung is a pulmonary condition that I now have firsthand experience with 😢. Now when I blow out the racing pigeon loft I will use a respirator mask. SHARE with one of you pigeon friends to help spread the word.
#racingpigeons
#pigeonracing
#pigeons
#pigeon
#paloma
#kalapati
#kalapatids
#kobutor

[@judeboy1955]

I have lost 35 % of my breathing capacity from silicosis and black lung. Valuable info!

[@RFRP]

Oh I am sorry to hear this!!

[@aranaboys1637]

40 years in pigeons and I’ve never seen a loft cleaned like this. Very entertaining and how about the team work my wife won’t go near my lofts😂. I probably have pigeon lung 40 years of scraping no mask 😷. I always thought my pigeons would be the death of me😂😂. Good video 👍

[@RFRP]

Haha! Thanks my friend!

[@jeffkaptain2919]

Glad to know you are doing much better. Very telling to see that cloud of dust raising up from the loft door.

[@RFRP]

Thanks Jeff! Appreciate that my friend!

[@antoniorodrigues5176]

You should put in a exhaust fan and use it when you’re in the loft

[@RFRP]

That is a great idea!!

[@ausfuhrpramienjagar]

Should be vacuuming it, not blowing it out.. JMHO. What a mess.. 🙂

[@abcloft302]

😅 💯

[@RFRP]

A mess it was. loads of dust had settled up on my lattice and elsewhere. Difficult to reach with a vacuum, but I will do my best to stick to vacuuming going forward

[@ausfuhrpramienjagar]

@@RFRP... Yeah, that was pretty messy for sure.

[@abcloft302]

I had to build an open loft no dust cause of ventilation ❤ that’s a lot of dust u got sir .

[@RFRP]

Yeah, I may need to rethink my floors. The dust also collects on the white lattice in my loft. Going to get rid of that.

[@kerbyjackson88]

I think it's a given that most breeders have some degree of Breeder's Lung. After 45 years at this, my observation is that most of the old timers I knew tended to exhibit classic signs of respiratory illness near the end of their days. I don't think that's a coincidence. On top of the birds, I've worked in the mining industry (high exposure to silicate dust) and also smoke, so can definitely say that I "feel it" when I clean lofts and tend to spend the next morning hacking and feeling like I have the flu. One thing to keep in mind is that even if you mask up well, a certain amount of particulates are still going to enter into your system through your eyes. For years, I've had troubles with eye irritation and have tended to notice that that it flares up the most the dustier the lofts get. Goggles may be the order of the day to try to cut that. One thing people should keep in mind is that if it affects us, it must have an adverse effect on the birds too and probably impacts racing performance. At day's end, I think dramatically increasing venilation in the loft is probably the best way forward. I have a couple 8x8 lofts that are open on 3 sides and even though they seem more prone to dampness in my climate, the birds in those lofts do have better respiratory health than the ones in lofts that have three enclosed sides for the sake of dryness. I haven't flown from those lofts, but I tend to suspect that if a race team was flown from a more open walled loft, it would probably improve respiratory health and in turn, give better performance. Most of us design lofts with our own ideas of comfort (nicely enclosed from the cold and wind) and it may not be the best way. The more fixtures and nooks and crannies you have, the more dust they hold onto. Everyone and their dog has those lattice type false ceilings and they seem to really collect dust.

[@RFRP]

These are fantastic points!! Thanks for sharing! And yes, the first thing to go is the lattice tops!! Sooo much dust!! Wish I had an open expanded metal floor too. Thanks again!

[@kendellcarey4152]

As for me I'm 53 now and I've had asthma at the age of 23 but I've gotten better and I have started raising bird's again about 5 months ago and I can really say that it's a terrible thing to love bird's and find out that it affects you in such a dreadful way,a good respirator mask is a must even if your just going to feed and water because I can't go in like I used to so just being outside watching them fly 🕊️ is better for me so many guys have passed away because of the dust even though the loft is ventilated well

[@Pigeonmaniacom]

Very good point about the old timers, I also noticed many of them with breathing difficulty. Pigeon lung is unfortunately ignored by most fanciers. They have an obsession to talk about pigeon diseases (because they affect performance) but never about their own health (man, it affects performance too!). Instead of goggles + mask, you might want to try the Aircap, I used it for years. There are several brands, I have pics with mine on my website. It's an all-in-one solution because you get a cap with a face transparent shield (instead of goggles) and with two filters. A motor creates a positive pressure inside, blows the air out while bringing fresh air in through the filters. Regarding the pigeons, ah well, they will have to adapt, they need you healthy to be able to take care of them. My loft has wire mesh on the floor, left, right and I also open wire mesh doors on the back during the day (for sun and ventilation).

[@rustymeyer7887]

Glad you are doing better.

[@RFRP]

I appreciate that!!

[@fabricdragon]

i am glad you recovered. PLEASE assume you are now sensitized and dont take any chances. in fact from now on if you go into a pigeon show, or even a "dirty" or crowded loft? wear a mask.

[@RFRP]

Thank you!!

[@pascuafamilylofts2262]

I hear gurgling in my breathing at night when I don’t wear a musk during loft cleaning.

[@RFRP]

Oh no!!

[@fabricdragon]

speaking as someone whose husband has asthma AND an allergy to feather dust... we already knew it could be bad for him. now i came into pigeons from the parrot and etc bird community- and... basically pigeons create dander/dust like cockatoos. (so if you need to explain it to a parrot person) the entirety of a loft will be coated in fine white powder, like ultra fine talc. unless you have MASSIVE air flow. (and even then you get some) in addition the dry powdery residue of bird droppings that have dried, and (god forbid) any mold... well you dont want ANY of that in your lungs. period. so with the understanding that i am speaking from experience *with cockatiels* more than pigeons (i am a newbie to pigeons) 1. wear AT LEAST a N95 when working in/cleaning a loft. or even being head down in a cage cleaning. DO NOT BREATHE IN FINE PARTICULATES! 2. vacuum rather than blow any dust, but if you are blowing ANYTHING *leaves, snow, grass clippings, bird dust* then please ALSO wear eye protection 3. when possible, clean damp. it helps settle the dust. 4. use an air filter in any area you can, especially if your loft is near a window into your house 5. CHANGE CLOTHES immediately after cleaning a loft, and put them into a bag or into the washer. (i now one person who bought a paint jumpsuit for cleaning his cockatoo aviary. also, if you are dealing with a "mysterious illness" of any kind, ask your doctor if it helps to know that you (go camping/own birds/go caving/diving./just came back from travel/garden own exotic animals/volunteer at a wildlife rehab) doctors assume a lot. because i am disabled my doctor assumed i didnt ever go outside of the city, and at the time i was just back from camping for two weeks out near Butler PA, my husband's doctor assumed that my husband wasnt eating or drinking anything problematic for kidney stones (because no one in America drinks tea? or eats peanuts?)

[@RFRP]

Great information here! Thanks!

[@TrumpforPresident24]

That must have been mistaken as COVID and respiratory. Stay safe Robertson. And nice pigeon custome.

[@RFRP]

Thank you! 🙂

[@miguelm3676]

That’s why Leo Heremans was wearing a air tank due to the pigeon disease!!!

[@RFRP]

Yes, that’s right! 😳

[@GuardianAngel..]

⁠ Hey Mr. Robertson do You remember that single Pigeon that I was telling You that I got the other day well he’s a Blue Checker Male, I named him DA-VINCI now I’m looking for a nice MONA LISA to pair him up to do You happen to have one of those by any chance for sale? lol

[@RFRP]

Shoot me an email

[@aldrincuyugan4482]

your’e flooring is not good for your’e loft. you should put wood grill for the flooring & put a sand too.

[@RFRP]

You are right! I've wanted to put in a drop floor from the beginning. Hope to get one in soon--it will benefit both me and the birds!

[@MissEAG]

Vaccuum??!

[@RFRP]

yes, yes.

[@cloverpatchfarm4279]

Heads up, your beard impedes the effectiveness of that mask pretty badly needs to seal to the bare skin

[@RFRP]

That is a good point!! Thank you

[@fabricdragon]

​@@RFRPwhile true...(it interferes with the seal) It's still likely better than your surgical mask You can test by placing both hands over the ventilation/filter and blowing out

[@grahamrothwell6691]

If you use a blower you are a goose. All you are doing is blowing the dust onto someone else or where your children are exposed to it. Ever heard of a vacuum fitted with appropriate filters??? WTF

[@RFRP]

✅