Is handling baby chicks safe for my kids?

[babymakes6]

Love your siggy, Cass! (and don't you just NEED more chicks?

)
Yes, washing hands after handling the chicks is necessary. Most feed stores that really care about their animals will not dye the chicks. Not so much about the diseases but more because they are more attractive to children when they come in all the pretty colors. Many parents will give in to the child's whining but as soon as Easter is past the chicks are discarded because they start growing up. That is also the reason behind the "6 or more" rule-you cannot buy just one chick to please your child in most states.

 

[tinychicky]

well, I'VE handled chicks since i was about four, so i'd assume as long as you keep an eye on them while they hold the chicks it will be fine

 

[StormyMoon]

I have 5 children, and over 40 chickens and 88 on the way I have never had a problem. We even keep them in the house for a week before going out to the coop to their brooder. My kids sit and pet the chickens , carry them around, dress them in doll clothes..... we have a rooster who is over a year old now who will come sit in the kids lap and wait for them to put a apron on him and they play tea party with them put them in chairs and feed them out of the little plates.

Its un real what the kids can get these chickens to do, when they hear the back door they all come running, they love the attention.

 

[Pascal PicklePants]

OK be gentle, i'm actually not trying to be devils advocate for once, but what are the kids at risk of catching from the chicks?

 

[babymakes6]

Quote:
We need pictures of that!

 

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
We need pictures of that!

lol ok , if weather is nice tomorrow we will go out and get some pictures I will post in the raising baby chick section.......its more like the chickens are raising my kids

 

[wbruder17]

My coop and chickens are pretty clean, as far as chickens go and my sister, who is, shall we say, fairly protective, allows my 2.5 year old neice in the coop, playing with the chickens and even around my roo, who is very sweet.

No problems so far, so I say, as long as the kids are gentle, and of course the hand washing.

 

[jenesis536]

I don't know... maybe I'm a bad parent, but we handle the chicks and birds, play in the dirt and touch who knows what else throughout the day and I'm not washing their hands 24/7... my kids rarely get sick and neither do we. We're not slobs by any regard, we clean our house and maintain a presentable level of cleanliness, but we work FT, have 3 kids, cats, birds, chickens, my kids are in daycare... Granted I'm not allowing my kids to play in their poop and eat right afterwards, but they get it on their shoes and touch who knows what else... you can't protect them from everything, and sometimes that's worse than allowing them to do what people do. I grew up on farms and can't remember being watched after the way a lot of parents do these days, and my grandparents lived a full life doing the same and being super healthy - had they not died together in a plane crash 2 months ago, I'm sure they would still be kicking a long time to come. Just find the right balance.

 

[edgroger]

I think its safe enough, so long as you keep an eye out for both your kids and chicks.

 

[chickenaddictntn]

Lord , my kids handle ours all the time, but we use hand san. before handling
and soap and water after.