Kids handling chicks and salmonella

[hilchicks11]

I just asked that question myself. I am getting a giant bottle of hand sanitizer to put out there just to be safe!

 

[Aemelia]

We use hand sanitizer before we play with our chicks and afterwards. We do the same thing with our pet snake.

 

[claudicles]

Quote:

If you think they are bad to handle, just wait until one of them bites you

Human bites are the worst to treat... well, not quite as bad as snakes

but definitely worse than dogs.

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

Hand sanitizers are not a perfect solution.

Just like antibiotic use they can kill most pathogens but not all, opening the door for the possibility of breeding super bugs.

Also hand sanitizers kill natural good flora on your skin leaving the skin somewhat defenceless to freash germs. Hand sanitizers are after all a chemical toxin we are puting on our skin to kill living organisms, not so different from the good old days where it was wildly accepted to spray ourselves with deet to guard against insect bites.

Speaking of the good old days, as kids we grew up at least as healthy as kids today and that was without anti-microbial potions and nothing more than a wash up before supper.

http://www.ehow.com/list_5985696_disadvantages-hand-sanitizers.html

http://blog.find-healthy-food.com/health-news/hand-washing-better-than-hand-sanitizer.html

 

[Mandymooligan]

Quote:
Ainit it the truth, but like I said I had 5 days of misery last week and do not wish to repeat it. This is the first bottle of hand sanitizer I have ever bought on my life. It is easy to to dismiss until it happens to you.

 

[StupidBird]

Just remember hand sanitizer is highly flammable due to alcohol content.

I agree with crossgirl.

 

[Eggcessive]

People are prone to getting stomach viruses from eating undercooked chicken eggs, food left out at picnics too long, or most of the time from each other. My grown kids get it a couple of times a year from my grandkids, passing it to the whole family. Chickens are like others animals--you just need to wash those hands once you are finished touching them. Most people don't realize that most dog food has salmonella in it, and you should always wash after feeding the dogs and cats.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is there a risk? According to the CDC and many other reliable sources, yes.

How high is that risk? That is the question. I don't know. I think anyone that thinks the risk is lower because ours are "Healthier" does not really understand how it works. The risk is still there. Salmonella is everywhere in the environment and especially if they are let out to forage they are regularly exposed to it. Usually it is not a big deal to them or to us, depending on the strain.

What are the consequences if they do get salmonella? They probably won't die unless there is something else weakening them to start with. The could get very sick or it may not be all that bad, depending on their overall health and the strain of salmonella they get. Permanent damage to their health is possible, but probably not likely. I'm not medically trained so i just don't know.

If you consider the inconvenience too much compared to the possible consequences and the likelihood of those consequences, that is your decision. That is called doing a risk analysis. You take a risk every time you drive to the grocery store. That is a risk most of us are willing to take.

I personally try to wash my hands with soap and water after handling chickens, eggs, and dogs, but I don't obsess over it. Well, maybe I do a little.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[schellie69]

Be careful with the hand sanitizer it is mostly alcohol, which if still wet and kids put their hands in their mouth they can get the alcohol, There has been a rash of kids being taken to the ER with symptoms of being drunk and alcohol poisoning. Be careful I use plain soap and water for my grand kids.

 

[Mandymooligan]

I have no idea if I got it from the chicks, they are all healthy and doing great. I think it may have happened when I was out cleaning the coop that has sat vacant for a long time, lots of dust and dirt got stirred up. No matter what I am enjoying my chicks and thankful to have them.