Kids handling chicks and salmonella

[claudicles]

I'm curious. I read some stuff which warned against children handling chicks due to the risk of getting salmonella. Does anyone know anything about it? Can you get it from a well chick? Do you just need to use a quaratine period or is it always a risk when handling chickens? Has anyone actually gotten it or know of someone who has? My two neices are staying away from their chicks because they are not fond of the careful hand washing they have to go through and it would be a shame if there is no real risk.

Thanks
Liz

 

[galanie]

The risk is because children often put their hands in their mouths/faces. If your nieces are big enough to know not to do this then it's not quite as big a deal and no more risk than you handling them. We should all wash our hands after handling chickens but I know some of us sort of forget for a while

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

Just about any animal including humans carry pathogens, a chick is not any great degree riskier than a guinea pig, hampster, cat, dog, ect.

Basic soap and water hand washing is just good sense and should cover off 99.9% of the chicken germs. IMHO the other 0.1% are likely good for us (imune healthy people) in order to build and maintain a health immune system.

 

[hennyannie]

I wonder why we as kids didnt get sick from our farm animals? I know that we certainly didnt wash our hands except for mealtimes and to get mud off.

 

[ChooksChick]

The NPIP program is for testing to clear flocks from Salmonella among other things. Most flocks don't have it- it's generally a problem with the commercial poultry industry.

 

[Mandymooligan]

I suffered a 5 day bout of salmonella last week. It was awful. I am not sure if I got it from directly handling the chicks (none are sick) or if I got it by cleaning out the old chicken coop and stirring up a lot of dust and dirt. Anyway I now have a bottle of hand sanitizer in the chicken coop that I use after handling the chicks which I refrain from handling much. I never want to be that sick again. On the plus side I made a huge major giant step on my weight loss goals (got to find the silver lining).

 

[Ridgerunner]

This is what the CDC says about it.

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/SalmonellaPoultry/

 

[Arielle]

So sorry to hear you were so sick. Your situation serves as a reminder that many animals are carriers or appear fine because they are at subclinical levels.

Most birds don't have samonella, but do we know which ones do have it. In Massachusetts, pet turtles were banned because too many young children were getting salmonella from the turtles. THe turtles look healthy and were healthy. But young humans do tend to put their hands in their mouth or on their face; they are not ready for some kinds of pets. My boys are older and are past that stage and do go wash their hands WHEN I remind them. LOL

Years ago we did get diseases; I don't think this has really changed. Maybe we know more about how to prevent diseases and hear much more info now. THe morning news and other shows seem to cover every little detail about medical stuff. Humans can get several parasites from dogs and cats; but not every dog and cat parasite or disease can be acquired by humans; so only recently has my oldest been allowed to clean the cat litter box. He WANTS to do it! Must be the chore money he earns! LOL

My kids do play with the pets, I teach good hand washing, but know this isn't perfect and sometimes we go see the pediatrician. Some "diseases" are worse than others, too.

This is my ten cents worth!!!!

 

[Dobela]

My son got salmonella when he was about 14 months old. It was awful and scary. But he didn't get it from chicks or turtles or other farm animals. He most likely contracted it after touching a cart in a local WalMart or a grocery store that had been dripped on by contan because he had not been around anyimated meat or by some one who brought it from somewhere else. I am not really afraid of our chicks, but you won't see me putting my small dd ina shopping cart without disinfecting it.

 

[MydearWatson]

Glad you posted this question, I am a little concerned about it too. I am thinking of just putting hand sanitizer by the brooder (and later on the coop) and making everyone use it. All you can do is your best to try and prevent it, I guess.