Salmonella outbreak in backyard flocks .....

[svh]

I saw a similar story to this on the news the other night ..... https://www.aarp.org/health/conditi....html?intcmp=AE-HP-TTN-R2-POS3-REALPOSS-TODAY

I know several people here have "house chickens", and many others like to snuggle with their birds, even though this could be hazardous to your health, and the health of their families.

I'm not judging anyone, and I'm just as guilty, in some ways, as many others, but that doesn't make it OK to put yourself, and family at risk.

I completely understand why people do this, the love of a pet is priceless, and although I don't personally participate in this practice, I do have dogs who interact my chickens, and I do snuggle with them, so I feel I'm just as at risk for this disease as someone who does snuggle with their birds.

Hand washing, and general bio-security can help people avoid this nasty sickness. Admittedly, I do not follow sanitation practices as well as I probably should, and plan to up my sanitation game from here on out !

Just be careful, and stay healthy !

 

[CurlyQuail]

Felt I should add:

There IS a vaccine against salmonella that you can give to poultry. In certain places it’s harder to get than others (especially in small amounts) but if it’s that important to you that you need to keep a chicken in your house, please please please try to limit the spread of diseases!

 

[gointothebirdsfarm]

I have been seeing this but haven't been following it very well. Is there really as much of a risk as they say there is? Shouldn't there have been salmonella outbreaks from backyard chickens years before this? I'm honestly just curious...not saying that there isn't a risk, but I was wondering if there was anybody with personal experience on here. My chickens are outdoor pets and I tend to wash my hands after handling them, but humans and everything connected to humans can be just as germy as animals. Just was wondering what other people's opinion is...

 

[svh]

I think the increase in cases is due to so many new chicken owners trying to prepare for the covid nonsense, just as there are many more first time chicken owners here on the forum.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Ugh. I try so hard not to kiss and snuggle my birds... but I do. Just as I eat raw cookie dough! Salmonella is really no joke though.

 

[gointothebirdsfarm]

Ugh. I try so hard not to kiss and snuggle my birds... but I do. Just as I eat raw cookie dough! Salmonella is really no joke though.

I agree. I hold my birds AND have eaten raw batter all my life. .haven't died yet, but I guess there is always that bad egg.

 

[rosemarythyme]

My chickens are outdoor pets and I tend to wash my hands after handling them, but humans and everything connected to humans can be just as germy as animals. Just was wondering what other people's opinion is...

If you're good about washing your hands after handling them, and not putting them in your mouth, handling your used muck boots, etc... you're fine. It's a lot of hype - many salmonella cases don't come from backyard poultry, but rather food processing issues, contaminated produce, etc.

 

[featheredplanets]

If you're good about washing your hands after handling them, and not putting them in your mouth, handling your used muck boots, etc... you're fine. It's a lot of hype - many salmonella cases don't come from backyard poultry, but rather food processing issues, contaminated produce, etc.

Absolutely. When I had my chickens I was terrible about washing my hands between handling and gardening. No one, including me, got sick. Fast forward to after I re-homed my chickens and my nana had somehow contracted salmonella in a hospital

 

[Quailerino]

If you're good about washing your hands after handling them, and not putting them in your mouth, handling your used muck boots, etc... you're fine. It's a lot of hype - many salmonella cases don't come from backyard poultry, but rather food processing issues, contaminated produce, etc.

Oh, but what's the point of keeping birds if you can't put them in your mouth?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Oh, but what's the point of keeping birds if you can't put them in your mouth?

I freely admit I used to let my cockatiel put his head in my mouth. Not sure if I want to do that with a chicken... especially a standard or larger one.