Chicks and Children

[FreckledFarmer]

How many of you have chicks and/ or chickens and small children? How do you handle your kids around the chicks? Do you allow them to hold or pet the chicks? Do you worry about salmonella?


I was trying to find information on breast feeding while dealing with chicks.. I was wondering if it was anything like changing cat litter while pregnant/breastfeeding. I didn't find any information but while I was looking I ran across a ton of information about how children who are under 5 should not handle chicks at all. My son will be 3 in Oct. The chicks we got were not for him but I would like him to be able to participate in the "raising" of them. I don't want to hide them from him... What is your experience with children and chicks? Should I not even have the chicks in the house? One article said they shouldn't be allowed in the the home.

ETA: I am breastfeeding my 2 month old not my almost 3 year old

 

[leadwolf1]

As long as your son can treat them kindly and gently..they are very fragile, there is no problem with him handling them. Just have him wash his hands both before and after.

As far as breastfeeding and pregnancy, there isn't anything with chickens, except salmonella, that would harm anything. My chickens have tested salmonella negative so I don't even worry about that.

Just practice good hygiene and everything will be fine...enjoy your babies

 

[folgerrd]

So I have six chicks and four little siblings one is 11 one is 5 one's 4 and finally the only boy is 2. This is how I dealt with it:
Step 1: When I brought home the chicks I let the settle into their brooder (which should be set up in a room the kids can not access)before letting the kids see them.
Step 2: The next day I brought in the kids and my mom for back-up help.
Step 3: Introduction. Do NOT let little kids hold chicks on their first meet, hold one close and be sure to tell kids that the chick is delicate, like glass. Getting kids to touch the chicks gently is good it will help them to understand how gently they have to be. I made sure all their hands were clean first because kids can be messy and chickens are can get sick easy. If the kid is having trouble with being gentle warn them about the chicks pecking beaks and claws. I didn't do this to scare my brother, just to make sure he is careful for himself but it did make him wary of the chicks which can be good.
Step 4: Put in rules. How the rules are set up and which ones and what kind of punishment is up to you but I made it against the rules to see the chicks without a big person(adult or I) there, the punishment being if they broke the rule they couldn't see the chicks(period) for two days.
Step 5: As your chicks and children adapt to each other try teaching them to hold the chicks but keep your rules until you feel safe leaving the two of them alone.

So we are of course talking about your chicks and kids so you can alter how I did things however you like or need(or not do it like me at all) but I wish you the best of luck!

 

[folgerrd]

Oh and

 

[FreckledFarmer]

Thanks for the info guys! I have a tendancy to really worry when I run into articles like that. I am a worrier, especially when it comes to anything related to my children. We have been planning for chickens for a while and no one has ever said anything to me about waiting until the kids are older. So far my two month old has only been in the room with the chicks... she will of course not even touch them. My two year old hasn't handled them at all but has touched the cage (they are in a dog kennel as a brooder) and the area around the cage as he was watched them... I was so frantic (if you read my other post you will know why... I had a very dead chick and an injured chick in my shipment today) that I think he went quite a while without washing his hands. The article said that there were 71 cases of salmonella from backyard chickens the year the study was done... That number seems really low considering how many people must own chickens... Still I freak when my children are involved.

 

[folgerrd]

And that absolutely makes sense, but I'll tell you this: Your chickens are way more at stake than your kids.

 

[cary 1973]

My nieces are 6 and 9 and they were good with chicks except they would some times hold to tight if chicks put of a struggle and my lika dropped cherrio when she pooped in her hand so i had to put rules to holding the chicks to them sitting down and having them on there laps with towles while they were babies now there 2 1/2 monht my little lika was out there this afternoon feeding them and having them sit on her lap and she likes to read books to them while they hang out around her she knows the 2 chicks she can pet with out them freaking out and she knows and this is the most imporant thing more then salmonial posinging

EYES WATCH YOUR CHILDRENS AND YOUR EYES THEY ARE SHINNNY AND CHICKS ARE COURIOUS AND WILL PECK AT EYES NOT OUT OF BEING MEAN BUT THEY ARE BIRDS YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILTY TO KEEP EYES SAFE.

my neices knows to watch out or wear sunglasses and i of course always have sunglasses on also if you have a long hari coming out of yoru chin they will find that too and help you pluck it out or at least my Lilly have found about 3 on me. lol

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

Make sure that they are never alone with the chicks. They are perfectly capable of killing them. I know from experience. I have a little sister that is 2 and what I have to do is tell her to pet them with one finger (she listens too). She has tried plenty of time to ''sneak" them without me there, so be wary.

 

[peepmommy]

From my experience (32 chickens ranging from 1 year to 3 days) and 2 kids (4, 2, and one on the way), just practice common sense. Make sure the kids wash their hands after handling (before too if you can), making sure they are gentle with them, etc. Chickens teach them great responsibility. My daughter loves to collect the eggs every day and knows that she is raising healthy animals. The only warning I have is if you end up with any roosters. He is there to protect the flock and is not to be trusted around the kids. I never trusted my roo, but my son came too close and he attacked him... You have to be especially careful!!! Good luck!

 

[FreckledFarmer]

Thank you again. It is comforting to know that other people feel comfortable with their young children around the chicks. I really have no intention of my son holding the chicks right now but I have them in the kennel so we can watch them.. when I am around... and I would like him to be able to pet them when I am holding them. I don't want him or my infant to get sick and I want my chickens to be safe...

That is good to know about the roosters.