CDC warns "Don't cuddle with your chickens"

[DaQatz]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...g-stop-hugging-and-kissing-your-pet-chickens/

To me the article sounds like they are correlating data instead of actually having proof. Since the they give a gross sum on the cases, and never actually say it was from the pet birds.

 

[TheLukeMeister]

that article is bull.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

I really hate this CDC report. How can they prove that pet chickens caused most of these cases? I've also noticed a lot of internet "know it alls" attacking pet chicken owners because of it, calling us "stupid" or "crazy" for keeping chickens as pets, or even saying we should't have them. Plus, a lot of us do wash our hands after touching our birds, yet experts act like we're all stupid and no one knows proper hygiene. It's articles like this that make me fear people will start placing even more laws and restrictions on chicken-keeping. Smh.

 

[Alexandra33]

Oh, please. Don't they know that most poultry owners are already aware that chickens can carry transmissible diseases? To me, this is pretty much only a concern to the elderly, very young, and those with compromised immune systems, not to the average person with strong resistance to many germs. I'll be honest, I kiss, hug, cuddle, and let my chickens sit on my lap all the time. Have I ever gotten sick? No! The only time I have EVER been ill is from going out into public where there is an overabundance of disgusting human germs on door handles, cart handles, toilets, ect., not to mention that I never touch my eyes, ears, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands that have touched these revolting surfaces. To me, the CDC should be mentioning how repulsing stores and other public buildings are; they are far grosser than any chicken will ever be.

-Alexandra33

 

[BantamFan4Life]

I read that article a few weeks ago. I agree that you have to be careful with chickens, since they are carriers of disease, but that doesn't mean you can't "cuddle" with them. As long as you are fastidiously washing your hands afterward and not licking or kissing them, I wouldn't worry about (unless they have a disease that can be transmitted to humans), because you need to have direct contact to get sick from them. Also, there are very few diseases that humans have been known to get from chickens (like Avian Influenza). I am a germaphobe myself and I have no problem with cuddling a chicken.

 

[MIchickenlady]

that article is bull.

I agree with you.
I change my clothes if the girls cuddle on my lap.
I always wash my hands after chores or petting them.
The CDC would say a plethera of drugs are preferable to my 'chicken therapy'...well poo on them.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I didn't see anything in the article to be up in arms about.
Of course you can get salmonella from chickens and of course you're at a higher risk if you have them in your house and if you're kissing and hugging them.
This should be common sense.

 

[TeeMom]

Anyone who's scared of cuddling a chicken has obviously not been a parent to a preschooler. Now, THOSE things are little petri dishes!

*I can affectionately say this because I am a mom to 5...

 

[MIchickenlady]

Anyone who's scared of cuddling a chicken has obviously not been a parent to a preschooler. Now, THOSE things are little petri dishes!

*I can affectionately say this because I am a mom to 5...

lol!
Truth!!

 

[SilkiesInSuburb]

There's nothing I can add that hasn't been said. This article makes me angry. I know my hygiene, I did research before getting them! I'll hug my chickens whenever I darn please!