@bluesplashgirl, Hi Carolyn. Yeah, I have COPD and scarring too; along with bronchiectasis, and mild pulmonary hypertension, and SVT of my heart. Oh yeah, and I am an Alpha-1 Carrier. I have been reading almost non-stop about mac and lung diseases since 2007. I did come across articles about horses and chickens being associated with infectious diseases. Like you said, stables can be dusty and moldy. In the case of chickens; their coops can really be nasty. Many bird and chicken keepers tend to catch lung diseases. I have a feeling it may be due to the very fine feather/queill scales that they slough off and get inhaled. Also when their droppings turn into dust form and get inhaled. How long have you known about your COPD? Do you currently have many COPD symptoms?