Handling very young pet chicks: Yea or Nay?

[Disco Hen]

I would make sure to educate them on handling the chicks - if they were to handle them at all. My kids would probably rather me place the chicks on their lap rather than to try picking them up themselves. My concern was more with the germ aspect of it all. All these warnings about the spreading of salmonella germs.

Right well, just make sure to wash you hands after I guess, but it is up to you and what you feel comfortable with

 

[ClareScifi]

Lynzi777,

Was there a concern that humans could spread the salmonella to the chicks, or the other way around, or both?

I have read that armadillos can give people leprosy, but that armadillos contracted leprosy from humans.

Clare

 

[Lynzi777]

This is basically what I keep coming across on all the websites I venture to...


Safe Handling Instructions

It is important to care for and love your chicks, but you must also protect yourself. Salmonella, a common cause of food borne illness, can also be spread by direct contact with animals, like chicks, that carry the bacteria. Here are some tips to keep you safe:

• Avoid contact with poultry manure. Adults should clean out cages frequently.
• Carefully and thoroughly wash hands with soap and water after handling chicks or anything in the chicks' environment.
• Do not nuzzle or kiss chicks, ducklings, turkeys, etc.
• Keep chicks outside of main living space, and especially out of areas where food is prepared. Choose a draft free, predator-proof location such as a garage, shed or basement.
• Supervise children when handling chicks and ensure they wash their hands after contact. Children under 5 years old, people with weakened immune systems and women who are pregnant or may be pregnant, should not handle chicks.

 

[honeynajar]

Hey all... just a quick ?? Being my first adventure... of course I had to go all out and order guineas too. Does anyone know if the same applies to guineas? My 3 red sex links and 3 white leghorns are attention hogs now and I want to try to have guineas the same way. My plan is to love em up just like I did my chicks. Thanks!

 

[suzeqf]

I hold from minute one or day one depending on if I have hatchlings or farm store and i've actually hatched chicks in my hand and held them under the heat lamp to get them dried off enough for mom to accept them back . My big girls know I'm the safe zone so when the boys get rowdy some will flock to me or land on for protection, my 2-5 week old girls I handle daily and my teeny ones I handle every chance I get.

 

[ClareScifi]

Some say rooster chicks should not be handled and petted a lot. Others say they should.

 

[Chknldy]

My daughter, 14 yrs old, holds her chicks daily. One year she had a whole batch of them imprint on her and they would follow her like a Mommy hen. Eventually they seperated from her as they became adults but one little rooster would escape from the coop and we would find him roosting on the back porch looking in the back window for his 'Mommy'. As for diseases my kids have playing in the chicken coop since they could walk and other than making sure they wash up before eating, we have had no problems. I think we sometimes we shelter our kids too much from diseases; I mean how else are they going to develop an immune system unless they are occasionaly exposed to disease. Almost all of our chickens are friendly to the point it is very difficult to walk in their yard without stepping on at least one toe.

 

[toddreed]

I've pretty much broken every rule on the bullet point list. Not saying that i recommend that, just that i have. When my rooster was a baby it was a cold winter and he and his sister spent night-time in a cage in my room until they were 3 months old, and I snuggled with him on my bed from time to time (with a towel), and even fell asleep with them in my arms a couple times. My rooster is now 3 years old and has never attacked a human and this has always impressed people a lot, because roo's are so well known for their aggressive behavior. He sits in my lap for fire-side guitar picking too.

There is definitely a clear difference in personableness between some of my birds which came to me from a pullet farm vs the ones i raised myself from chicks.

-todd

 

[Lynzi777]

I think we sometimes we shelter our kids too much from diseases; I mean how else are they going to develop an immune system unless they are occasionaly exposed to disease.

I couldn't agree with you more - that's why I was confused as to why all the stress about this when at the same time every year numerous amounts of schools I'm sure, are bringing in chick eggs to their pre-k and kindergarten classrooms to hatch. I guess it's just the way it was worded that had me second guessing whether or not I should get into it. I can definitely see my kids wanting to snuggle with baby chicks as they get older and are more familiar with raising chickens.

 

[ClareScifi]

Todd,

What breed is your rooster? Do you have a picture of him? Do you mean he has never once tried to peck at you???