Children sharing food with chickens

[wendydarling]

My toddler likes to climb up the ramp and through the chicken door to see his "buck bucks", often times eating the table scraps I give them. Is this behavior harmful?

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. Your toddler feeding your chickens table scraps is fine as long as it doesn't make up too much of their diet. Treats should compose less than 10% of a chickens's diet as commercial feeds are specially formulated to meet all of their nutritional needs. If you haven't done so already, definitely check out our Learning Center at https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center. There is loads of useful information there. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.

 

[jrjoplin]

Welcome to BYC. It sounds like your question is about your toddler eating the scraps. I'm sure as a toddler I ate worse but I don't think I'd let it become a habit. The coop could harbor any number of bacteria that could make him sick.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. It sounds like your question is about your toddler eating the scraps. I'm sure as a toddler I ate worse but I don't think I'd let it become a habit. The coop could harbor any number of bacteria that could make him sick.

LOL! I think you're right. I totally misinterpreted the post. ) X2 on jrjoplin's post; definitley don't let your toddler eat the scraps that have been thrown into the chicken coop. (

 

[N F C]

It's cute that your little toddler is enjoying the chickens but I agree with the other greeters...he has his own snacks and the chickens have theirs.

Thanks for joining us, it sounds like you are going to have a lot of "help" with the chickens!

 

[Blooie]

There is one other thing to consider. The chickens are going to associate your sweet little boy with treats....regardless of WHO is eating them. Tee hee By allowing him unfettered access to the coop and eating the chickens' scraps, you could also be setting him up for some serious owies and fear when the chickens start to mob him, which they will. It's cute now, but when they start to come after him thinking he has something for them, he could well begin to be afraid of them. And speaking from experience when chickens come running at me full speed because they think I have something for them, I've been pecked and tripped up more than once and it hurts.

But oh, boy, is that a cute picture of him out in the coop!

 

[trailrider330]

Welcome to the BYC flock! We are glad you joined us!

I agree with the other posters. Please do not allow your child to take scraps out of the chicken feeders. Chickens can carry salmonella which could be fatal to your child. Here is information on safe handling practices for live poultry if you would like to review it. http://www.mthealthy.com/page/388806207

Although the picture you posted is cute, please also be aware that chickens like to peck at shiny things including eyes and your toddler is at just the right height to get pecked in the face. I hate to be a downer but seeing that picture also made me think of a child my neighbor knows who lost an eye to a chicken. I would hate to have that happen to your child or anyone else's.

 

[OnlyOrps]

This has to be a joke...

 

[Mutt Farm]

LOL! I think you're right. I totally misinterpreted the post. ) X2 on jrjoplin's post; definitley don't let your toddler eat the scraps that have been thrown into the chicken coop. (

I am laughing so hard . I read the post, didn't quite know if the comma was in the right place so I didn't respond. didn't know what to say. I read your reply and @jrjoplin Punctuation is everything! My toddler likes to climb up the ramp and through the chicken door to see his "buck bucks", often times eating the table scraps I give them. Is this behavior harmful? Without the comma, toddler is watching the chickens often times eating table scraps. With the comma, toddler was often times eating the scraps with them!
To the OP, that was funny. It is your personal choice. I grew up playing in dirt and manure on a farm, kissing cows and other animals and I'm just fine. I would google CDC recommendations and here's a link for zoonosis. http://www.iacuc.wsu.edu/documents/forms/pdf/zoonoses_poultry.pdf

 

[drumstick diva]

As a kid I used to kiss all the neighborhood dogs, our dog shared ice cream sandwiches and hot dogs - not my intention but, his. At the time I was just disappointed. Looking back I think

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