Raising chicks and handwashing

[Oven Ready]

I would agree with all the above...

1. Yes, wash your hands after handling any animal before you handle food (or before you bite your nails).
2. No, there's no need to go into a decontamination chamber after touching chickens.
3. I'd think, but I don't know for sure, that a dog or cat would actually have more faecal matter on them, chickens (well not ours anyways) don't have a habit of licking their own butts and then licking every other reachable part of their body before giving the butt a bit more attention. Chickens do walk on their own poo a lot though.
4. Initial exposure to any new 'germ' can bring about an upset digestive system, once you've been exposed to whatever your chickens may have, which will be relatively benign ones, you won't get any ill effects later.

And as they always say....;If your symptoms last more than a week, go and see a doctor' for a stool culture - then you'll know for sure, probably.

Enjoy BYC and enjoy your chickens.

PS.

I only use antibacterial products after getting a receipt or change back in the store

What is it some people do with money, do they run out of TP but find ten dollars in their backpocket or something?​

 

[pkw]

Being as my mom drilled it in me to always wash my hands before handling food, going to bathroom or if my hands had been near my mouth or nose, taking out the trash , etc. I have instituted that in my own family. I do wash my hands before and after I handle the chicks and feeding and watering them. I make my husband and daughter do the same. Its not that I am afraid of catching anything off them, its just something that I've always done

I was big on washing my hands even before I got my chicks.

 

[Toi-toi]

I know it's off topic but I saw a few of medical field people answered this thread so I wanted to stop by and ask...

My chickens jump on to my hands, arms, head, legs... basically all over me.
After they played with me, of course I have a few scratches from them.
The scratches raised up and got red.
I thought because they walk on their poop, so it's dirty scratches that's why it happened.
But I noticed that my 2 daughters have sensitive skin but it doesn't happened to their scratches.

Am I allergic to chickens???

laurelmtnlover, I wash hand before and after chicks. I told my kids to do so, too.
But I'm touching my cell phone with dirty hands because I take pics with them

 

[laurelmtnlover]

Ok, thanks everyone. So I will wash my hands before I pick my picnic lettuce

........ the chicks are so nice to have. The coop has hardware cloth staple nailed at the bottom, and dug, only about 4 inches down and aproned out. The floor is raised wood, with metal screen and linoleum, I really don't know how anything other than a mouse could get in, but we are going to invest in electric poultry netting and let them free range. Thanks for all your responses,
Carrie