👋 hello from the Hudson Valley!

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Glad to meet you, and welcome to BYC. I just love to hear people involving their children in bird care! She will have a lifetime of wonderful memories.

You probably already know, since you had chickens as a child, that your child should always wash hands after helping with the chickens. Chickens and ducks can both carry salmonella and spread it to humans. Change shoes after visiting the chicken yard, as well (both because of salmonella and because of poo).

And you may end up with roosters in your flock. Roosters are often the most engaging and friendly birds in the flock when they are young. But when they hit puberty, and all the hormones start kicking in behaviors, you need to be very aware that they pose a real danger to a child of 4 or 5. A child running and giggling or shouting through the flock of chickens will trigger a rooster into protective mode, to guard his ladies. A rooster's spurs can do a terrible lot of damage both physical and psychic to a child. Roosters can jump up to face and eye level on a child of that age!

Don't spoil your child's memories of chickens! Manage both of these risks for her, so she will remember chicken tending with joy!
 

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