SALMONELLA AND BABY CHICKS??? FREAKING OUT, HERE!!!

[wings]

I am a young chicken owner and have been looking forward to getting more chicks in the spring for weeks. We are getting them from a local hatchery, a few towns away.

My dad just showed me an article on how salmonella outbreaks are increasing because of day-old, mail-order chicks. I was thinking: "Gee, thanks Dad! Now I can be a paranoid maniac over this when we get them. IF we get them, now!"

Here's the article:
http://www.webmd.com/news/20090122/baby-chicks-crawling-with-salmonella

I know there isn't a super risk because we are getting our chicks from a local farm, but I still need some talking down.

Also, what can I do (without going crazy about it) to prevent any of this from happening?

Any calming down would be appreciated.

 

[HorseFeathers]

Peace, chill, and don't worry! wash your hands after handling them. You'll be OK!

 

[morelcabin]

Honestly, your chances of getting food poisoning from anything you buy at the grocery store and eating out even is probably about as slim as the chances of salmonella. I have done chicks for ten years, my kids and the neighbors kids play with them and handle them...really, don't worry too much about it:>) I don't.

 

[menageriemama]

It will be ok

 

[Mahonri]

Yup.

MAAN.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I have never worried about that with the chicks i have, I do make sure to wash my hands before and after handling any chickens but then when i do hold them they are so cute and fuzzy i can't help but to smooch all over em :|

 

[Three_Blessings]

Don't worry, just keep some hand sanitizer near the chick brooder and use it when done handling them and then go and wash your hands in the sink. That is what I do. There's other places besides chickens to pick up salmonella, so don'tfreak out too much over your baby chicks. Enjoy them!

 

[Akane]

Salmonella is everywhere. There was an article out about getting it from your fish tank.

Compare the odds of that to handling any raw meat. Your more likely to get sick from buying chicken and eggs at the store than from handling your own baby chicks.

 

[MandyH]

You are more likely to get salmonella from your peanut butter than your chicks!!!!!LOL

 

[crazyhen]

when I suspected that my hens had a virus I got the agr. guy to check them. It took him over a month to get here but he checked for many other diseases too and one was Salmonella. Mine checked out fine. None found. So now I do not worry so much. When your chicks are older you can get them checked to see if they have it. Just as the others said always wash up anyway. Make sure the kids do too. Just good sanitation. Jean