dust and more dust

Thought I'd brush down some of the ledges and tops of perches, where the dust builds up. I never took much notice till I started the job earlier I can't remember the last time it was done, probably during the moult.
Had to give up, even with a mask on its choking and blinding me and the birds. Must be quarter inch thick in places. Most of it will be very fine diatomaceous earth which I use a lot. At least I shouldn't have lice or mites on me now

Regardless ,can't be healthy might look around for a second hand industrial type vacuum, run that over on weekends. Or catch a warmer dry day and wash it all down. Always plenty to do isn't there?

have a look at tool station or screwfix colin they do a cheap powerful one that would be ideal,i use an old henry vaccum ,of course alot of modern vaccums have had the power taken down same as the light bulbs,dont get a hand held i have tried several and total waste of time atb

I used a water spray Dave. Spray on the ceiling, and watched the spots fall lol. Soon hit bottom.
Did same with deep litter. I changed my 'Deep litter every 4-6 -8 weeks or so, depending how I felt.
Would use a shovel straight into a sack. Left some of course. Not a lot. Scatter Garden lime over the floor. Some times rubbed in. Some times used a fine spray. Stopped it coming up - Used Garden Lime like paint and covered every thing at least yearly. - Then would put about 6 inches over the floor of deep litter. Always fresh smelling. Some times I'd just go in when they were out and put a fine spray all around. Would be well settled quickly. Never had a problem with dud rising as such. But fit and conditioned birds scatter a fine bloom from their' feathers. This gets down you, and will/ can cause health problems.

Never heard of diatomaceos earth until Hal mentioned it, never heard of anyone using it in the early days.

But like Daz I used lime both in deep litter and painted both nest boxes and perches every year with lime paint.

Sharp sand and lime deep litter, not garden lime but live builders lime, only added lime when the deep litter was turned over, same deep litter for over 40 years, changed from one loft to another once, droppings on the deep litter absorbed, and became part of the deep litter. 

Also dusted perches with lime and just rubbed it in with my hand.

Of course you have to use common sense when using lime like anything else.

Never any dust problems, loft completely open to the elements but protected from damp and rain etc;

Never any health problems after a couple of inictial problems that were sorted out.

Would never attempt to tell others what to do but would have loved to see Davids new boxes with a good thik lime painting (SORRY DAVID IN ANTICIPATION)

Would never myself have tolerated a dusty loft.

Regards.

oldstrain wrote:

have a look at tool station or screwfix colin they do a cheap powerful one that would be ideal,i use an old henry vaccum ,of course alot of modern vaccums have had the power taken down same as the light bulbs,dont get a hand held i have tried several and total waste of time atb

I'll try get one through work discounted darren, thanks

I saw sand, on floors. Sweeps easy etc. and does a decent job where and when it was intended and used. I personally couldn't get on with it ... the reason being I could never get any dry etc.

It was the life in the builders lime that dried the sand and and droppings DAZ.

Garden lime a waste of time for deep litter.

Worked  as wieghman for a lime quary as a fill in for a while.

Sent lime to all the steel works here and in Scotland by rail to flux the steel.

 
Once put a piece of burnt lime, , not much bigger than a  tennis ball into a plastic bucket of water and it boiled the water and melted part of the bucket.

Also farmers use it for I believe for certain soil conditions know I did sell some to farmers as a ligitimate side line.

Know some say it is dangerous so is anything not handled properly.

Had a large waste bin just outside the loft to keep the lime in and just used it as and when.

Also the sand must be sharp sand.

When the present virus problem is over I will get some old photographs of my lofts if my son shows me how to do so, I have no idea how.

Regards.

mines the same on horizontal surfaces colin, thick of pink dust .......obviously pink minerals, so ive reduced to amount in the hope of reducing build up.

old loft wasnt like this

David wrote:

mines the same on horizontal surfaces colin, thick of pink dust .......obviously pink minerals, so ive reduced to amount in the hope of reducing build up.

old loft wasnt like this

I just been hinting for a Henry hoover for birthday coming up David. Better than a few pair of socks and a jumper or something I know it's the finer dust particles that you can't see which causes the real damage to your lungs, especially if you have any allergies.

Surely if you can get dust in your lungs in a loft so can the pigeons ????.

Regards.

yes I would say so misty

yes thats what i think, if its dusty for the fancier, it must be bad for the pigeons in the loft 24/7