just a little read for the members

Pigeon Breeder's Lung

About 10% of fanciers develop this disease, which is really an allergy to proteins found in feathers, and in intestinal cells that are shed normally in droppings. Inhalation of dusts containing these proteins can sensitize your lungs and eventually may cause a reaction that brings on illness. Such illness is characterized by chills and fever that develop several hours after exposure to these proteins. The two outstanding signs in humans are shortness of breath and cough, after exposure to loft dust. Note that the onset of signs is usually several hours after you have been in aloft. Lung damage can be progressive over time, and some fanciers have to give up the sport because of the severe damage that has occurred over a period of time. As a precaution, all of us should wear a mask when cleaning particularly dusty lofts, and even when the dust is minimal, care should be taken. Those who have such a problem have to be especially careful, and wear a good protective mask any time they enter a loft. Re-design of the loft may have to be considered to prevent a buildup and swirling of dust when birds fly while you are in the loft. You may have to use a vacuum cleaner routinely to prevent dusty conditions. Some fanciers have even installed electrical fans to circulate the air and to extract dust before it settles. Wire-mesh sections of floor along the front of the loft may allow for improved circulation and for dust to escape rather than settling on the standard type of floor. If you develop shortness of breath and coughing combined with chills and fever several hours after you enter a loft, you may well have pigeon breeder's lung, especially if you have a history of these signs on a repeated basis after you have been in a loft. To be on the safe side, see your family doctor and arrange for a referral to see a respiratory specialist. Be sure to tell your doctor and the specialist about your association with pigeons, and the onset of a sign several hours after exposure. If you aren't sure about your problem, but are suspicious that you could have this lung problem, begin to wear a suitable mask when you enter your loft. In any case, see your doctor as soon as possible so that a diagnostic examination of your lungs can be done.

Article on Bleach in Drinking Water

In March 1985 a personal friend of mine, Mr. Ralph Bevan, in an interview with Mr. Ralph V. Forbes for the Racing Pigeon Facts International, wrote one of the best aids to good form according to Ralph is the proper use of bleach in the water. Some years ago Ralph experimented with it in the drinking water and the bath water. He noticed his birds feathering became silkier as the days went by. He added 3 drops of bleach to a gallon of drinking water and 1 capful of bleach to a 5 gallons of bath water. Further to this study in the late '90's, Dr. David Marx also used bleach in his bird's drinking water everyday. His dosage is 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. He feels that it makes the droppings of the birds very acidic, therefore the birds are less likely to pick up any diseases such as Cocci or Canker. He stresses NOT to use anything else when using bleach and only use bleach with no additives. If you must give vitamins or medication of any type just stop the bleach until you have finished the vitamins or medication then you can start the bleach again.

When I go to clean the birds out during the big moult I dampen the loft with a fine spray this
keeps the dust and small feathers down , makes it a bit easier to clean them up as well.
As for putting bleach in the water for bathing or drinking thats a definate no no for me,
would you bathe in it or drink it , to risky,

im the same as you Jim mate i woulnt risk it but have read it on other sites that apparently do use bleach