How long are chicks carrying salmonella bacteria???

[bakerjw]

I always wash up after handling the girls but just to be sure I picked up some hand sanitizer and keep it near their pen. Better safe than sorry I suppose.

 

[AccioSarah]

Thanks to Jessika for posting all of that! It was really helpful!

 

[biddyboo]

I don't want to gross anyone out, but: our family is just recovering from a strange run of intestinal yuck, more cramping than trots or other symptoms, but lasting four to six days for son, DH, and me before clearing up. My husband went to his doctor this afternoon, who rambled through a range of possible intestinal diseases...and then said, "...but that is only for people who handle chickens..." They went on to discuss this, doc seemed to think the chicks and hens might be the source of the problem, stressed cleanliness, soap and water washing and hand sanitizer...all of which my husband and I do(big bottle of Dawn and big bottle of sanitizer at kitchen sink and in bath rooms) but son probably does not. Picking up the idea from this thread, I'm putting a large container of hand sanitizer out by the chicken pens to use before we return to the house. I doubt son will Thinks he's impervious. Anyway, we thought we were clean careful people, but we obviously need to step up our efforts. DH is now on an antibiotic to avoid more serious consequences of his bout. Just passing on our experience...~G

 

[StormyMoon]

I keep hand sanitizer in our coop and another one out side it , then when we come in we go strait to the bath room and wash again with soap. The reason for this is , is because after touching the chicks you come in touch the door handles then wash your hands. Then someone behind you comes in un aware of the door handles touches them but does not wash hands then gets sick.

So we keep one in the coop and one out side the coop and I have several sanitizers in different parts of my house too lol I have 5 children, when kids get sick all at the same time it is not fun.........and they spread germs like a wild fire.......

 

[dragonchild]

Is there a way to rid chickens of salmonella? Antibiotics or something? One would think that with today's veterinary technology and research, a treatment for salmonella in chickens would have been developed, even perhaps a vaccine to prevent it.

I wonder if some people (most people, perhaps) have a built-in immunity to "normal" doses of salmonella, due to low level exposure on a fairly regular basis?? Today, people are SO much more conscious of cleanliness, perhaps we lower our immunity because of our almost phobic level of fear of contracting some kind of illness! Something to think about!

 

[Cindy in PA]

Quote:
We certainly open ourselves up to illnesses & risk creating super bugs by using antibacterial everything when simple soap and water would do. I gave up antibacterial hand soap & dishwashing liquid years ago and haven't had a problem. Washing with plain soap for the rcommended amount of time works just as well. JMHO

 

[Nekhebet]

I have a 1 year old son. I have a snake, and have had reptiles since my oldest was born eight years ago. I just bought two chickens, five chicks and hatched 22 quail. My birds are inside while we finish the run today. Anyway the key to avoiding illness is similar to any doctors office or lab: in between cages I use hand sanitizer. I use it again between there and the sink where I wash my hands with dawn. I use gloves to clean cages and I wash to the elbows afterward.
As of yet my daughter has not gotten ill, nor my son. In all honesty I used only soap and water when dealing with lizards and snakes, but birds leave more "mess" so I upped my safety measures

 

[dragonchild]

Quote:
I haven't used the antibacterial soap for years in my home, because I know the health and environmental issues associated with it. Unfortunately, it is hard to avoid, as most restaurants and my employer insists on using it. At work, there was a big hoohah from some employees when they ran out of the antibacterial soap and ran to Mall-Wart for a bottle of the regular stuff.

 

[AKsmama]

Quote:
There's no way to kill off the salmonella bacteria in their guts. Even if there was, you'd probably kill off all the beneficial bacteria as well. Not a good situation. One of the questions we'd always get on the phone in vets' offices is, "We found a turtle on the side of the road, can you give them a shot to get rid of the salmonella?" No, no, no.

I really don't see the problem with good handwashing and teaching your kids the proper handwashing techniques, and cooking your food well.