Probably going to give up chicks because of Salmonella risk! Help!

homechick

Songster
12 Years
Mar 26, 2007
122
4
139
Mineola, Tx
I've been posting this under other topics but I want to cast my net a little wider to see if I can get anymore info.
I am so depressed after reading this:
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a … 3/LIVING01
It's about the risks of salmonella from pet chickens and how often people get sick from this.
These are not "easter chicks" to me. I always wanted a flock of chickens and now I have to give up my babies because I have a 5 year old that has good intentions but forgets to wash his hands (despite my many reminders and demands) sometimes and I also have a 10 month old baby who gets his mouth on everything my 5 year old touches and a diabetic mother that babysits when I'm at work. I don't think it would be very good for my baby and mother to get salmonella considering their immune system. In some cases people are hospitalized. How bad would I feel if my "pet chickens" got my family sick?
I've only had them a week and they are still young. Sure I could find somebody around here to take them, but I don't want to give them up. I know that even when they are grown the risk is still there. Picture my 5 year old digging in the yard for bugs, touches some chicken poo and comes inside, touches my infants toys and as soon as my baby puts the toy in his mouth... infection. What to do? I can't follow my five year old around everywhere he goes and he has a one track mind and forgets. ARG! So frustrating.
I read this article and other articles that gives me hope... if I could only find this product for sale. I only have 5 chicks and I wonder if I can buy this stuff in a small amount?
hhttp://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B00E5DE1638F933A15750C0A96E958260&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=all

Guess the best way to prevent my family from getting infected is to find another home for my feathery babies.
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. This is heartbreaking.
If anybody has heard of this product or if anybody has been sick from salmonella, let me know what to expect. I need hope.
 
As with owning anyting... there is always a risk.. how big... not that big in my opinion. Do people get rid of their dogs and cats due to fleas, ticks, and worms that might end up in the yard that people play in? I think alot of this getting sick and what not is all a bunch of over blown stuff. I won't bother ranting too much but I say keep your birds and just encourage hand washing. Everyone needs exposure to low levels of bad things because that builds up immunities. The body is not as week as it seems as at this very instant billions of bacteria and virusus and bugs are crawling around.

I say keep the birds! The last article is about factory farms.. and no wonder there are lots of bacteria there, look at the horrid conditions they are kept in. Unless you are keeping your 5 birds in a small crate for their lives, and you don't take care of them properly, I don't think you have to worry at all. Factory farms are just creating solutions for their own problems.

Good luck with your birds but I say samonella is not a reason to get rid of them.
 
I agree with silkiechick. Even though there may be a slightly greater risk of salmonella poisining when you have chickens, getting rid of them won't erradicate the risk, it'll just take away all the joy of having chickens. I myself had salmonella poisining once, from plain ole contaminated food, no chickens involved. I had stomach cramps and the runs, but I've had colds that were worse. Three days on antibiotics and I was fine.
I myself don't have children, so I'm of course biased in that sense, but I believe that the odds of them getting sick aren't that much greater. Your five year old could just as easily get regular bird poo on him in the yard as he could chicken poo. Hopefully you'll be able to find a choice that will make you happy as a mother and chicken keeper, even if you do decide to wait until your children are older.

Best of Luck,
Kristen
 
Homechick,
I don't know if this will help you with your decision, but I will put in my 2 cents for you.
I am a mother of 5 children, my oldest is 9 and my youngest 18 months. My husband was born and raised on a farm. My first exposure to poultry was when we got together 12 years ago. We have had chickens and lots of other birds and livestock ever since. I have hatched and brooded chicks IN THE HOUSE while I was pregnant with all of them and all of my kids have played with chicks etc. since they were babies. I try to get them to wash up, but kids are kids. Mine are exposed to all kinds of livestock here on the farm, they play and dig in the dirt etc. Mine have never gotten sick from our animals. I am not saying that it is'nt possible. But, life is to short to panic about what may never happen. If your children are pron to illness, have weak imune systems or are highly allergic to things...then I would maybe consider not having them. But, otherwise enjoy them and keep some kids hand sanitizer next to the chicks and teach them from the start...after you hold a chick ...use the hand sanitizer.
Have a happy Easter!
Christie
 
Is this another troll?
She is a new member as of 3/26 and has posted this same ad in three places on the board. I think it is someone that is just trying to get us to read this article link. I think maybe you all should save your typing fingers for someone who really needs help.
And to you, homechick, We have read your article and it is obviously not bothering us, so take your article to some other board and try to start a chick ban there!
I have been kissing baby chicks and big chickens for a long time and I am still here and healthy!
 
i agree with everyone there are risks with owning any animal........no matter how clean i have a 2 yr old who loves his chickies....we also raised them in the house..he even helps me clean their cage and no problems here.....just remind the kid to wash his hands,,,,,if your so worried abt it why did u get them? you should have researched first.......kids will be kids.......what do u think they did in the old days when there wasnt fresh water right at hand to wash with??? just a thought good luck!!!
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I agree with everyone else!
I have a very weak immune system and I catch everything from Chicken Pox to Parvo. Since I've had my chickens, except for Pneumonia that was running rampant through my job, I've been the healthiest in over 30 years.
I pick up my chickens, I hug them and kiss them and fed them treats from my hands...
I got this same speech from a customer yesterday about turtles, and it was on the news today...
Simple handwashing with warm water and soap, or using that Purell stuff helps cut down on the harmful bacteria...
 
What happened when everyone found out that dogs mouths really weren't cleaner then ours, OMG, we didn't die!
If you have a dog that sits on the carpet and your baby crawls on it, there is more cause for harmful germs with that, than owning chickens.
 

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