Raising chicks in a Nursing Home

[estick]

I have 6 baby chicks, maybe 3-5 weeks old. They travel back and forth with me to the nursing home I work at. They come in with me in the morning, spend their day in the multipurpose room and visit with the elderly population throughout the day. They also get picked up occasionally by staff throughout the day and have many visitors. At the end of the day I bring them back home and they relax and I play with them once or twice before bed time. They don't seem to mind this routine, and they are very friendly already, they will willingly get picked up, even jump up on your hand to be taken out and played with.

I want the chicks to eventually live there in a coop that will be built and maintained. Everyone at the nursing home is on board including residents, nurses, administration.

My concern is that people aren't thinking about health risks yet and a resident could get sick from them. What are your thoughts about this? What do you think are the chances of disease? What are good ways to prevent this? So far I have been letting the chicks run all over the floor, and all over the residents. I always pick up their poop with a clorox wipe?

 

[couuntrygirl13]

The elderly are more at risk of dying from Salmonella. Salmonella is a disease from raw poultry. I recommend putting hand sanitizer near the coop if you build one. Make sure that everyone is washing their hands or putting on hand sanitizer after handling the chicks. I think its a great idea to have them there. It probably gives the residents company. Good luck!

 

[BrittBergh]

Proper safety procedures. Hand washing, maybe even using gloves if there is a risk. As chickens grow older they can claw more and with elderly they have paper skin so it could cuts them worse than it does just you or I. Where I can get a small scratch an elderly person might need stitches!
Ive worked in nursing homes since I was 16 (I'M almost 29 now) there are so many things you will need to think of. Will the coop be outdoors? Where at outdoors? Who has access to opening the coop, who feeds them, who collects eggs, who cleans it all out? Will the chickens be able to come inside as part of the activity department doing something with them? Will residents and family be able to have access to them? what if they get loose accidentally?
Many many things to think about here and put down on paper if this is going to happen. Those with suppressed immune systems are at higher risk to contact something the chicken has. So maybe getting a wavier signed by the families of those who can have access to the chickens and having the opportunity for those families who do not want their loved one close to the chickens opt out of it. Know what I mean?

I think its a great idea. Studies have proved if nursing homes have pets for the residents it makes residents happier, more alert, and more able. Just a lot to have to work out!