Poison Ivy and Chickens

[FullMetalMommy]

I am extremely allergic to poison ivy and thought we had pulled it all down off our fence that back up to a wooded area. While my ladies were our foraging for insects I saw them brush up against a patch that managed to work it's way under the fence. I pulled it up of course but now I'm worried about petting my chickens!

I love my girls and hold each of them everyday and feed them by hand but I'm afraid the sap may be on their feathers and then transferred to me. Can I give my chickens a bath to get rid of it? Or do I just have to wait?
I know the sap is viable for several months and I'm afraid to not be social with them that long. Any suggestions would be so welcome!

 

[Zoomie]

Well, I can suggest to wear gloves, and then to immediately go in and change all your clothes after handling them, being very careful not to touch your face or something. When I was a kid I would go ride a horse, and she often had poison ivy on her. I was not allergic but my brother and sister sure were... they would blow up like the Michelin Tire Man. So yes, the oils can stay for a long time, and yes, you should be very careful. I doubt that bathing them would work... it's hard to get that oil off. You could check on special soaps for it, there might be some, that are not so strong they would harm the chickens.

It's also possible that only some of them have that oil on them but again be very careful!