Risk of Salmonella with ducks?

[Melody16]

Hello! I am new to owning ducks, I have 5 ducklings who live in our backyard. They have a secure cage but we let them out most of the day with us. Which leads to me my question... I have 3 kids, who play in the same area the ducks walk area (and poop) in. One of my children is a toddler who doesnt think twice before putting her hands on the ground and rubbing her eyes. How concerned should I be with Salmonella? Is it common? Thanks!

 

[slordaz]

@WVduckchick
May be of more assistance than me sorry, Welcome to BYC

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

i have 4 ducks and my little siblings play with them all the time! it’s fine just wash hands after

 

[DucksOhio]

Agree to wash hands often, wear gloves when cleaning up after them. We have separate sponges for cleaning duck food bowls...blue for human washing, yellow for ducks.

 

[DucksOhio]

Hello! I am new to owning ducks, I have 5 ducklings who live in our backyard. They have a secure cage but we let them out most of the day with us. Which leads to me my question... I have 3 kids, who play in the same area the ducks walk area (and poop) in. One of my children is a toddler who doesnt think twice before putting her hands on the ground and rubbing her eyes. How concerned should I be with Salmonella? Is it common? Thanks!

We’d like to see pictures of ducklings!!

 

[Melody16]

Thanks, we do wash but I see my daughter touching her face while playing with them and it makes me so nervous. I would feel terrible if my kids got sick. Here is my "squad"

 

[Melody16]

 

[DucksOhio]

View attachment 1897891

OMG they are so cute!

 

[Duckworth]

You may want to get a big pump dispenser bottle of hand sanitizer to keep near where the ducklings are. I have been keeping ducks for over two years and have never become sick with salmonella, but I am careful to practice good sanitation with the ducks and their eggs. I automatically wash my hands with dish soap if I have touched any aspect of their enclosure or any fresh eggs. That can make for a lot of handwashing, but I'd rather that than risk illness. Consider teaching the sanitation habit the same way you are teaching about it in connection with using the bathroom. If you have a garden hose with a sprayer on it, your kids can spray off their feet before coming indoors and use a squirt of hand sanitizer to lessen the chance that they will carry any germy matter into the house.

I'm pretty risk averse by nature, so the washing up habit just seems prudent. I don't want to find out what it would take to contract salmonella or give it to anyone else in my family.