Okay to keep chickens while pregnant?

[RIVERA69R]

Great american country folk have been doing it for centuries!

 

[Jameberlin]

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I completely agree with you that risks are everywhere and many of them can't be avoided. However, there is a fundamental difference between something like handling a door knob and cleaning out a chicken coop or litter box, with one the bacteria and viruses stay, essentially, on your hands while the other involves kicking up bacteria laden dust particles that can get into your nose, eyes and mouth. IMO, it's an unnecessary risk to do any poop cleaning without a respirator on.

In my book, if there's a risk i can avoid, i'll take measures to avoid it. This includes keeping pregnancy poop handling to a minimum, and lots and LOTS of hand washing (at least 20 seconds of soap rubbing under hot water every time).

I don't think it's any more dangerous to keep chickens than it is to keep dogs or cats while you're pregnant, all animals carry certain diseases and bacteria that can make people sick if the proper precautions aren't taken. I know, for instance, that dogs mouths carry salmonella (not to mention they eat poop and dead things), so i don't allow my dogs to lick my face, or my kid's face. Cats have litter and poop on their feet and they're not allowed on beds, pillows or any baby furniture or blankets etc.

I think there's a lot of wisdom when people look to the past to see how things were done, but i don't think the "they did it for hundereds of years" thing applies with regards to handling animal feces. As late as the Edwardian period, infant mortality was upwards of 40%, we know that in the past disease was a huge part of this. Granted they didn't have the medical technology we do now, but why do things that could make you sick when you could potentially avoid certain risk factors?

Anyway, my advice remains; if you want to keep chickens while you're pregnant, DO! Be careful, and if you can't (or don't want to) get out of coop cleaning wear a mask and wash your hands.

 

[Pine Ridge Ranch]

Don't babies poop also. Hey maybe you can have the husband change all the diapers..... good luck with that....

 

[Msbear]

Im 7 months prego and Im still messing with my birds on a daily basis. Like most have said, wash normally and you shouldn't have problems. Potentially, anything can be dangerous while pregnant. But, I am a firm believer in all things natural. I would much rather leave my hands farm filthy than have them lathered up with chemicals from cleaning the tub

It is a fact that children raised around farm animals are just plain healthier. There has been numerous studies about the effects of a sterile environment on a maturing immune system and the higher asthma and allergy rates. I could take that one step further and say that being around "stuff" while pregnant may be beneficial.

 

[emvickrey]

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Go back and read it again. That's too funny!

I thought you where kidding at first.

 

[Pug Momma]

Thanks to all who have posted so far. Had I known what a conversation starter this was, I would've posted earlier.

Really, I'm finding that it is about finding balance between being cautious and being a freak. I would naturally go to the side of freak, so I always have to keep myself in check. Couple that with doctors looking at me like I'm some twisted backwoods freak just because I have three chickens in my back yard, and it becomes an interesting topic! (You can see they haven't really thought about it, it's funny - that's why I'm going with a Midwife! She thinks it's awesome I have chickens and wants some eggs!)

Now I just have to figure out which chemicals to get rid of in my house and keep reminding myself that I CAN'T eat a cold turkey sandwich and I'll be fine!

 

[Msbear]

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Ok, is there something wrong with eating turkey now when you're pregnant? It is crazy all the things you should stay away from. I think everything is fine in moderation. I even have a glass of wine now and again... and I see a mid-wife as well

I have discussed my natural way-o-life with her and my sons doc. extensively (we chose not to vaccinate, don't eat packaged foods when we can help it and stay way far away from fast foods) and she is never shocked at my decisions and has never mentioned turkey as something to stay clear of... Im aware of sushi and cat poo has something really nasty... don't have cats... sushi Im missing but, pretty much everything else is a go. I even helped hubby paint the nursery. The newer paints don't have the harsh chemicals they did years ago and we had the windows and doors open.

 

[Jameberlin]

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I love midwives, they're so much more likely not to treat you like some fragile bubble waiting to pop. I hate that pregnancy has become a "medical condition" instead of a natural life occurrence. There are risks involved sure, but that's with anything, just be careful and have fun for as long as you can (which should be at least until you need a spatula to roll over in bed!)

You can't eat cold turkey when you're pregnant?! Hot tubs and sushi i knew, but that one's news to me.

 

[Blackbird]

Jameberlin, your right, hundereds of years ago things were diffwerent. For example, a hundered years ago it was probably pretty unusual to have a frilly house cat/dog.

Most animals stayed outside.

 

[Beekissed]

why do things that could make you sick when you could potentially avoid certain risk factors?

Why?

Why drive your car while pregnant? You could get killed on the road.

Why fly on an airplane? It could crash and you could die.

Why go outside or in public at all, as all these environments have disease carrying potential and are all risky if you want to avoid potential risk factors?

Its called living. The simple act of living normally.

The current environment of germophobia is more terrifying to me than any disease ridden era of the past. Or the present, for that matter. Its like a cult of fear on which the media feeds regularly....heck, they would go out of business if they didn't have this or that new report on some potential hazard that will cause salmonella, e.coli, swine flu or asian flu...not to mention all the carcinogens out there.

I'm a nurse. Have been so for over 16 years. I've been exposed to every kind of disease out there from AIDS to malaria. If I had a constant fear of contacting this or that illness or disease, thousands of people would have went without care. Yes, there are pregnant nurses out there.

If you live in fear all your life, you are not really living. You are existing....maybe even surviving. But not really living.

Its called common sense and a realistic expectation of what your immune system is designed for. If you are chronically ill because your immune system cannot fight off airborne or contact bacterial invaders....then I would advise to avoid pregnancy at all!

Pregnancy is not a medical condition nor does it weaken one's immune system. It does not make you vulnerable to disease. A healthy diet, plenty of rest and exercise and pregnancy is just like any other day in your life.