Can baby chicks cause allergies?

[Vrune]

I have two beautiful two and a half week old chicks. I have been keeping them between my classroom and my home at the weekends (I live right across the street from school). I am currently building a coup so that they can go outside when they get a bit older but one of my housemates has been complaining about having them in the house at the weekends and claims that they're giving her allergies. They are losing their baby fuzz so is it possible that this could flare up my housemate's allergies? I really think she's just opposed to the idea of having the chicks around and is using the allergies as an excuse but I wanted other people's opinions. Has anyone else noticed worsened allergies by having chicks in the house?

 

[Mahonri]

Chicks make a TON of dust.

Some folks get allergic to that.

 

[MissPrissy]

Chicks create tons of dander as they feather in. If they are left in one room and in one place for a couple days you will see fine dust covering the surfaces.

 

[lurky]

My husband has asthma and allergies. He was VERY sick when i got my first chicks. I think just a few might not be as hard to keep up to. We had 8-10 that time and it was terrible for him

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Oh absolutely!!!! Unbelievably, my child with severe asthma is not the one bothered by them in my house, however. The one of my kids with the LEAST allergy symptoms is.

Go figure. But yeah, it is VERY real. Oh, and when my brother was a child they did allergy testing and one of his worst was birds.

 

[Vrune]

That's good to know. Thanks for the help. (I still think she doesn't like them though!

I guess I'll just keep them at school until they get old enough to go outside... I feel bad, my housemates were all fine about getting the chickens until they actually arrived, now they're not so keen... I don't want to put them in the garage in case they get cold. I suppose in a few more weeks they'll be outside so there shouldn't be any more problems... Thanks for all your help!