Chickens and Kids in the Same Yard - Safe?

[BlueYonderGirl]

Hello everyone!

I'm new here and hoping to gain some chicken wisdom from you all.

Background:

We live in a suburban neighborhood, but our home was built in the seventies, so we have a pretty large yard.

We brought home some chicks in March, two of which turned out to be roosters. Those have gone to live at a farm where they can crow all they like

That left us with 2 Ameraucanas and one that we think is a Leghorn. This week, we added two more that are a year old, a Barred Rock and a Buff Orpington. Apart from a few squabbles, things have gone well with the new additions.

The Barred Rock is not laying though. I assume this is a natural side effect of her being moved and that she will resume when she's begun to feel at home?

My main question though is this:

We keep our birds in a covered dog run at night, but during the day my kids let them out and they have full run of the backyard.

My boys always wash their hands after handling a chicken, but they often forget to wear shoes in the yard. So they run around barefoot outside (not in the coop though) and then run in the house.

Should I be concerned?

I suppose we could just keep the girls in their run and not let them roam the yard, but they do have such fun hiding in the bushes and chasing bugs.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Wolf-Kim]

How old are the children?

I don't think you have health concerns to worry about. Not if they keep practicing their good handwashing.

Sometimes chickens can be aggressive with smaller children. Hens usually aren't but stay on BYC long enough and you'll see an occasional case of an aggressive/dangerous hen. Not crazy dangerous, but still could be harmful.

-Kim

 

[panner123]

Really nothing to worry about. Have them wash their hands and take off their shoes before coming inside. Look at it this way, as a children growing up we ( my brother, sisters
& myself) had to bring in the cows to be milked in the morning. We would always do this bare foot, will once the frost was on the ground we would run from steaming cow flop to steaming cow flop, to keep our feet warm. Might be the reason we are all rather tall, good fertilizer.

 

[arlee453]

Good handwashing will keep everyone happy and healthy.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:

TOOOO FUNNY !!!

KIDS@!


My kids are running around outside with the chickens all the time - no worries, my kids have to wear shoes as we have cactus and spiky things all over - I've tried to rid the yard but so far I'm not comfortable that they're all gone.

OH and today - I had a couple of ducks in the pool with the kids

Much fun by all!

 

[Chirpy]

Heavy Sigh!! We've had our chickens for over a year now and my kids keep going into their run barefoot! I keep telling them to put shoes on because I don't want that 'stuff' getting on the carpet. Oh well... I love that my kids are in the country and they love being involved with the chickens.


No ones gotten sick yet ... we also practice good hand washing.

I agree that your Barred Rock probably stopped laying due to the stress of moving. Give her some time and she'll start again.

 

[kees]

My daughter runs around in the yard with the chickens and I just make sure that she wears shoes and takes them off after wiping them on the doormat and me cleaning them off if necessary. I don't like stepping in poop, but maybe that's just me.

 

[BlueYonderGirl]

Thanks so much everyone! We'll keep washing those hands!

Wolf-Kim - my guys are 7, 6 and 3. So far at least, you couldn't ask for sweeter pets. All of our hens, including the newest, are used to being held and are vary friendly to the kiddos.

Panner123 - that is hysterical! I'm always telling my guys that eating their vegetables will make them grow taller... maybe I should tell them the alternative is to stand in the nearest cow patty.

 

[ibpboo]

And pretty much what others said. I grew up crawling and stepping in chicken poo, I'm healthy, oh and I am a little taller than a lot of my friends. hee hee (not all that tall though)

 

[NoelTate]

My mom always swore I was going to get worms from going in our chicken coop barefooted, but it hasn't happened yet, and I'm pushing 40!

As long as you don't have an aggressive rooster and the kids are gentle with the chickens, I wouldn't worry. Funny, I always worry more about my nephews and nieces hurting my chickens much more than the chickens being a danger to them.