Did anyone catch Salmonella from their backyard flocks? Share your experience

[Jessicx]

I did end up with Salmonella from my flock. It happened just weeks after I first got them, because I was foolishly washing their water and food dishes in the kitchen sink. This happened despite my borderline OCD habit of washing my hands a million times a day. I had also set up the brooder inside the house, and was endlessly cleaning up chicken poop from the floor after letting them out. I know the infection came from my chickens, because I don't eat meat. Just be vigilant about where you wash their water dish, and if you're worried, wear a mask when cleaning the coop.
On the upside, I have not been infected again after nearly 2 years. The infection itself was not terrible. It was, in my opinion, quite mild.
Don't let your fears stop you from keeping chickens. I love my babies more than anything, and I would not give them up for the world!!!

 

[Crooked Chicken]

I did end up with Salmonella from my flock. It happened just weeks after I first got them, because I was foolishly washing their water and food dishes in the kitchen sink. This happened despite my borderline OCD habit of washing my hands a million times a day. I had also set up the brooder inside the house, and was endlessly cleaning up chicken poop from the floor after letting them out. I know the infection came from my chickens, because I don't eat meat. Just be vigilant about where you wash their water dish, and if you're worried, wear a mask when cleaning the coop.
On the upside, I have not been infected again after nearly 2 years. The infection itself was not terrible. It was, in my opinion, quite mild.
Don't let your fears stop you from keeping chickens. I love my babies more than anything, and I would not give them up for the world!!!

I kept my chicks in the kitchen and the ducklings in the laundry room for about 2 months while I worked on the coop and run. I also washed their dishes in the kitchen sink, but always cleaned the sink and surrounding areas well afterwards. We never suffered any affects from it. You can also pick up salmonella from fresh fruit and vegetables.

 

[JaeG]

I did end up with Salmonella from my flock. It happened just weeks after I first got them, because I was foolishly washing their water and food dishes in the kitchen sink. This happened despite my borderline OCD habit of washing my hands a million times a day. I had also set up the brooder inside the house, and was endlessly cleaning up chicken poop from the floor after letting them out. I know the infection came from my chickens, because I don't eat meat. Just be vigilant about where you wash their water dish, and if you're worried, wear a mask when cleaning the coop.
On the upside, I have not been infected again after nearly 2 years. The infection itself was not terrible. It was, in my opinion, quite mild.
Don't let your fears stop you from keeping chickens. I love my babies more than anything, and I would not give them up for the world!!!

You can contract it from infected fruit or vegetables. They are usually infected by rodents in the warehouse wherever they were stored before you bought them. Chickens infected with Salmonella act and look sick. They are weak, lethargic, have purple comb/wattles, decreased appetite, increased thirst and yellow or green diarrhea.

 

[User395221]

I did end up with Salmonella from my flock.

Were you tested and it found to be salmonella? There are a lot of other bugs that can make us sick, e.coli is very common. It could have been another bug from your chook's poo that 'gotcha'.

Can I also just add that when considering what negatives might arise from keeping chooks (eg the potential for illness from poo bugs), that (imo, extremely low) risk should be balanced against the positives to health from having pets. Those positives are quite well documented - lower stress levels, all sorts of benefits from having somebody to look after and who "loves you". Those benefits are also long-term, everyday, unlike a dose of diarrhoea if you are unlucky enough to come down with an infection. I think the (actual) good far outweighs the (unlikely) bad.

 

[barred2rock]

I did end up with Salmonella from my flock. It happened just weeks after I first got them, because I was foolishly washing their water and food dishes in the kitchen sink. This happened despite my borderline OCD habit of washing my hands a million times a day. I had also set up the brooder inside the house, and was endlessly cleaning up chicken poop from the floor after letting them out. I know the infection came from my chickens, because I don't eat meat. Just be vigilant about where you wash their water dish, and if you're worried, wear a mask when cleaning the coop.
On the upside, I have not been infected again after nearly 2 years. The infection itself was not terrible. It was, in my opinion, quite mild.
Don't let your fears stop you from keeping chickens. I love my babies more than anything, and I would not give them up for the world!!!

Whether or not you eat meat is irrelevant, the chances are animal byproducts are used in growing the fruits & vegetables you eat. You can get Salmonella from plants.

Btw, if you don't eat meat why do you have chickens?

 

[BantyChooks]

Oh my! I give my Ducks kisses all the time!!!!! And they come and get kisses from me. It really helps build up you immunity to things. They are just such a blessing and joy. I wish I had started years ago.

Agreed. That's another point. I --and I suspect several others here-- have had animals for our whole lives, so our immune systems are used to dealing with nasties. A brand new chicken/animal keeper should exercise much more caution.

I kept my chicks in the kitchen and the ducklings in the laundry room for about 2 months while I worked on the coop and run. I also washed their dishes in the kitchen sink, but always cleaned the sink and surrounding areas well afterwards. We never suffered any affects from it. You can also pick up salmonella from fresh fruit and vegetables.

Yup. I have a separate utility sink for animal stuff.

Btw, if you don't eat meat why do you have chickens?

Eggs. Or, some keep them as pets alone.

 

[trudyg]

Sanitation control should control salmonella, as well as a multitude of other things. You keep chickens in your house? Even if you clean, I don't think you can really get rid of all the dust/dander. Do you wash your hands? Your fruits and vegetables? Do you sanitize your sink and counters? What about the crisper drawer in the fridge? I am lax on all these things, but I don't keep animals in the house, don't wear shoes in the house and wash my hands,etc outside before coming in. I'm more afraid of getting ecoli from store bought fresh foods.

 

[chicks are life]

I give my birds kisses on the beak or where ever is avalible!!!

 

[Trish1974]

Agreed. That's another point. I --and I suspect several others here-- have had animals for our whole lives, so our immune systems are used to dealing with nasties. A brand new chicken/animal keeper should exercise much more caution.

That makes perfect sense! As I was reading through these posts I kept wondering why in my 42 years of life I have never gotten sick from the millions of cats, dogs, horses, cows, chickens and ducks I have been around. IMMUNITY!
Now to go all conspiracy theory on the subject, I wouldn't doubt if its an over-exaggeration of the media. Backyard flocks are becoming more and more popular and we know the government doesn't want us to self-sustain! Media and government love scare tactics!

 

[BantyChooks]

That makes perfect sense! As I was reading through these posts I kept wondering why in my 42 years of life I have never gotten sick from the millions of cats, dogs, horses, cows, chickens and ducks I have been around. IMMUNITY!
Now to go all conspiracy theory on the subject, I wouldn't doubt if its an over-exaggeration of the media. Backyard flocks are becoming more and more popular and we know the government doesn't want us to self-sustain! Media and government love scare tactics!

The media make a huge deal about everything. 90% of it doesn't matter.

Hence why I don't spend my time on news sites. If there's anything really important I'll hear of it through others.