Personal hygiene when owning chickens and other animals

[gandalf_of_chickens]

Hi all, wasn't sure of the right forum to post this question in. I'm wondering about hygiene with regard to:

1. hands
2. shoes
3. tools

Do you all have strict rules/regimens about how you keep yourself and your things clean? "Always wash hands after feeding the chickens or collecting eggs," "have one pair of shoes/boots that you use for chicken chores and nothing else," or something like that? What about tools? I just got back from fluffing the bedding in my coop and decided to wash/disinfect the pitchfork, wheelbarrow, and bucket that I was using afterwards before returning them to the garage. Is that overkill?

 

[3KillerBs]

I don't eat in the chicken yard. They attack for food and death by chicken doesn't sound pleasant.

One would really NOT want to fall unconscious in a chicken run.

 

[janiedoe]

I have chicken yard shoes and boots that stay outdoors on the screen porch.
I never wear those shoes anywhere else.
I wash may hands with soap everytime I go inside and I wash them outside too, if I need to.
I wear certain clothes in the chicken yard and I only wear them for one day before washing.
I don't eat in the chicken yard. They attack for food and death by chicken doesn't sound pleasant.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

No strict rules here for me. I wash hands when I come in but that’s about it. I do a grotty job anyway mucking horses out and caring for them so being mucky is just me

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is that overkill?

I think so. I wash my hands after handling eggs or chickens. That is just general hygiene. I typically wash my hands after working outside anyway but I do make a point of it after handling eggs or chickens.

My chickens live in the environment. They are going to naturally be exposed to anything the wheelbarrow or any other tool is exposed to working around the place. I do not clean tools between uses in the chicken coop or in the garden.

I have a couple of pairs of shoes of boots that I put on whenever I leave the house to go to the chickens, pick blackberries, or work in the garden. I wear house slippers when in the house. It helps me to stay married if I don't track manure or mud throughout the house. If you are the one cleaning your house, well that is your decision. Sometimes I change clothing when I work outside, depends a lot on how much I'll sweat or get nasty. If I'm "going to town" I have special clothing and shoes for that. Mostly that is because I want to look decent when I'm in public but I don't wear those around the chicken's area because of biosecurity. Often my going to town involves going to the feed store. Who knows what someone may have tracked in there.

 

[3KillerBs]

but I continue to use those boots with the chickens as they get stored outside so any chicken poop stays outside.

After once putting my hand into a garden glove that had a wasp beginning a nest in it, I never leave any article of clothing outdoors where something other than my body might decide to take up residence.

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

No strict rules here for me. I wash hands when I come in but that’s about it. I do a grotty job anyway mucking horses out and caring for them so being mucky is just me

Same with multiple horses, stalls, paddocks to muck, dog kennel, cats/ boxes and chickens we wash hands..now if i was going to a farm with chickens i might do things differently on going there and absolutely upon return.. i have 40 years experience with stable/ horse quarentine which good farms quarentine the sick horse and for some things farm is still quarentined as well.. that is strict and if i have or am handling sick animals those are very stringent..but generally we just wash hands

 

[BeefQuesoritto]

Okay, I was definitely waiting to see if people would respond before I did, to make sure I'm not gross or something. I do have general "outside chores" boots and "clothes to be messy in", but that's really it.Then I wash my hands when I come in.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have a pair of muck boots for my chicken coop and other messy yard chores. They have a spot right inside the door, where they are shed the moment I've closed it behind me.

I always wash my hands after tending the chickens and if I'm doing anything other than feeding them and/or gathering eggs I change at least my pants/skirt since I don't need manure dust in my house.

I don't wash my outerwear every time I tend the chickens, but I do keep my chicken-tending/dirty yardwork outerwear separate from the going to town/church/etc. outerwear.

The manure fork and shovel live in the coop, but I'm willing to use them for other yard chores.

 

[3KillerBs]

It helps me to stay married if I don't track manure or mud throughout the house.

Good advice for all of us who share a home with others.