Chicks and kids

[Ladav10]

So as I e been doing more research on how to clean up and care for the chicks I’ve found more about kids becoming ill from chicks. Well I know o can’t stop everything because my one year old put a toy that was on the dirty ground outside where ducks and chickens had probably pooped yesterday. I just have the chicks in a spare bedroom where I also keep their clothes and some of their stuff. Obviously I let them go look at them. Since histoplasmosis is aireborne I am not nervous to have the chicks inside. Even cleaning the pin worries me for now and later on. I have a screened in porch but I am unsure that it is warm enough to put them there yet and I still worry cats and snakes etc could get in there if they really wanted to. There isn’t a full proof cage option I have right now as little as they are either. Any suggestions? At this point I guess we could already have histo if that were the case. I just worry my one and four year old don’t have the immune systems built for stuff like that if it WERE a possibility.

 

[JaeG]

Many studies have found that children who grow up with exposure to farm animals and/or dogs have better immune systems and are much less prone to asthma.

Histoplasmosis thrives in damp conditions so as long as you are keeping the brooder clean and dry you shouldn't have a problem. It's important to keep it dry and clean anyway to prevent coccidiosis in the chicks.

And as long as your kids wash their hands after handling the chicks, and before they eat I think they'll be just fine. I bet they are loving having chicks.

 

[Ladav10]

Many studies have found that children who grow up with exposure to farm animals and/or dogs have better immune systems and are much less prone to asthma.

Histoplasmosis thrives in damp conditions so as long as you are keeping the brooder clean and dry you shouldn't have a problem. It's important to keep it dry and clean anyway to prevent coccidiosis in the chicks.

And as long as your kids wash their hands after handling the chicks, and before they eat I think they'll be just fine. I bet they are loving having chicks.

Okay so it’s not like we already have it in our house or anything? It sounds like if you go anywhere near a chicken you will get it. My kids step on ground that has it all the time and you know kids put their hands in their mouth and come in contact no matter how clean you are or what you do.

 

[Ladav10]

Also- I can’t read anymore on google- so since they are shut in a bedroom- does that mean it could still go airborne through the house by the shavings dust and food? I don’t even know now how to clean the brooder without possibly spreading it .

 

[JaeG]

Okay so it’s not like we already have it in our house or anything? It sounds like if you go anywhere near a chicken you will get it. My kids step on ground that has it all the time and you know kids put their hands in their mouth and come in contact no matter how clean you are or what you do.

It isn't contagious and for adults it doesn't sound like it presents with symptoms, but little ones do get sick, so I think you'd know if it was about. It's something I'd never heard of until you mentioned it. There's a lot of bad press about backyard chickens giving people Salmonella poisoning too when you are much more likely to catch that from poorly prepared/stored food.

We've had many little chicks live indoors with us and we've never had a problem. Our 8 week old ducks have just moved out (they were finally well feathered enough) and boy, could they make a mess of their brooder!

Yes, kids will be kids (and that's how they get lovely, healthy, strong immune systems).

 

[rosemarythyme]

If your coop is ready and you can run electricity out, you can always brood outdoors. I don't want chicks in the house because I don't want to clean up after them (plus I'm set up to raise them outside anyhow).

The kids need to learn to wash their hands after handling the birds and of course, to not put them near their faces. With a 1 yr old obviously they don't know this, so I'd personally not let them handle chickens or chicken stuff (looking is fine). Good hygiene should take care of most concerns with chickens and germs.

 

[M Brennen]

Also- I can’t read anymore on google- so since they are shut in a bedroom- does that mean it could still go airborne through the house by the shavings dust and food? I don’t even know now how to clean the brooder without possibly spreading it .

Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about it. I have had sick chickens in my house numerous times. I even insisted on being tested for Histoplasmosis a few years ago when I got sick and couldn’t figure out why ( it turned out to be rheumatoid arthritis). The infectious disease doctor didn’t want to test me because he said it was quite rare.

 

[Alaskan]

It isn't clear to me how common it is for kids to get sick from chickens.

All I know is my kids grew up with chicks, I did too... never made me sick, or my kids sick.

Chicks do however make a great deal of dust. It is nice to brood them outside, but I have done both... (brooded in the house, and brooded outside).

 

[Ladav10]

Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about it. I have had sick chickens in my house numerous times. I even insisted on being tested for Histoplasmosis a few years ago when I got sick and couldn’t figure out why ( it turned out to be rheumatoid arthritis). The infectious disease doctor didn’t want to test me because he said it was quite rare.
this makes me feel better! Thank you

It isn't clear to me how common it is for kids to get sick from chickens.

All I know is my kids grew up with chicks, I did too... never made me sick, or my kids sick.

Chicks do however make a great deal of dust. It is nice to brood them outside, but I have done both... (brooded in the house, and brooded outside).

I did too and here i

 

[Ladav10]

I did too and here i

Yeah - any suggestions on a brooder or building one for on a screened in porch while they are little?