NY Times article

[MotherHen9892]

The weekend article about salmonella has caused a lot of fear in our extended family and neighborhood because of our chickens hatched last spring. They are adorable and all just started laying eggs and seem happy and healthy. One of my kids cuddles, kisses and hugs the friendlier hens.

Please let me know if the article is alarmist or whether we should set some precautions to keep everyone healthy.

Any advice is appreciated. Is there a way to prevent salmonella in a small isolated flock?

Should eggs be unwashed or washed? Should they be refrigerated till use or not? I know they need to always be cooked but that is the same for any egg, no?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Alarmist.
The questions posed are questions with no one answer..... rather questions each of us must choose for ourselves based on personal preference

 

[MotherHen9892]

Alarmist.
The questions posed are questions with no one answer..... rather questions each of us must choose for ourselves based on personal preference

Thank you for your reply! If you don't mind sharing your personal preferences with me I would very much appreciate it. Just what your choices have been and why...

Your coop is amazing! A work of art!!

 

[FlyWheel]

Regarding washing the eggs, if they are reasonably clean (no poop) then you don't have to wash them. If you're a germophobe you can always wash them before you crack them. Remember the hen coats each egg with a barrier to keep bacteria out so the egg doesn't rot while it's sitting under her 100F body for the three weeks it takes for a chick to develop. As for refrigerating them, your choice. If you do wash them though it is recommended since you have removed this anti-bacterial coating. Same as with those canned or bottled foods that have a label saying "refrigerate after opening".

And just so you know, eggs really don't always need to be cooked either. Eggnog doesn't use cooked eggs, neither does meringue. So long as the egg hasn't gone bad you can eat it.

 

[Chickassan]

I don't wash mine until I use them, and I don't refrigerate simply because cold eggs don't incorporate well when I'm baking. The salmonella article is quite alarmist as there is no real way to prevent salmonella but it's not the kind of thing you're going to get by simply handling eggs or chickens or turtles or anything else that harbours it. Like any pathogens conditions have to be right and to be frank salmonella is a whimp in the pathogen world.

 

[FlyWheel]

TTYTT, I'd be more worried about Korean dictators than salmonella.

 

[BantyChooks]

Agree, highly alarmist. Ain't nobody gonna stop me from licking the spatula.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I don't wash, I refrigerate sometimes, others not (I don't take the same eggs in/ out.... just sometimes i get them in cartons and in the fridge, sometimes they set in a basket on the counter)

 

[TeeMom]

Very alarmist, in my opinion. Is there a risk? Of course...that's why we wash hands. This is nothing new. People have been raising chickens for ages and salmonella has always been a risk. 900 cases is a drop in the bucket out of I'm sure hundreds of thousands of chicken keepers out there. Take the precautions that you are comfortable with cross your fingers. Lol. I take a risk every time I climb into my vehicle as well, but I have places to be!