Sons sick after cleaning the coop? or just coincidence?

[ksrosebud1]

Yesterday we cleaned our chicken coop. It has been two weeks, but I didn't think it was in that bad of shape. Today my husband and both sons (24 yrs & 16 yrs) are feeling sick. Their stomachs hurt, their bodies are sore and achy, their heads are congested and throats hurt. I have congestion and sore throat but I really think it's my allergies and thankfully do not have the rest of their symptoms. Do you think it's a coincidence? or maybe they caught something?

 

[dawg53]

Yesterday we cleaned our chicken coop. It has been two weeks, but I didn't think it was in that bad of shape. Today my husband and both sons (24 yrs & 16 yrs) are feeling sick. Their stomachs hurt, their bodies are sore and achy, their heads are congested and throats hurt. I have congestion and sore throat but I really think it's my allergies and thankfully do not have the rest of their symptoms. Do you think it's a coincidence? or maybe they caught something?

Coincidence. There are only a handful of poultry diseases that are zoonotic and the odds that your husband and sons contracted one at the same time are slim to none. Ingesting feces would be an exception.

 

[MuranoFarms]

My body is always sore and achy after coop cleaning. Shoveling dirty bedding is hard...that stuff is heavy! Seriously though, unless your chickens are seriously over crowded 2 weeks isn't bad.

They probably caught a cold/flu from somewhere else. Rest easy....the last known transmission of Avian flu to a human was in 2004 in Canada...2003 in USA.

 

[DaveOmak]

Were they wearing gloves and dust masks..... Did they "clean up" after cleaning the coop and run.... change clothes shoes etc... Was the coop and run dusty... In other words, did they take all the necessary safety precautions....

Dave

http://www.cdc.gov/features/salmonellapoultry/

http://sciencenordic.com/chickens-cause-serious-infections-humans

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/61646.php

http://extension.wsu.edu/vetextension/Poultry/Documents/Avian Diseases Transmissible to Humans.pdf

 

[Shalva]

cleaning the coop is hard work... and it is dusty. I do try and wear a face mask not for fear of diseases but simply because I don't want to be breathing in all the dust that is generated when I clean the coop (I have asthma and allergies) I am not good about wearing gloves but I probably should.

I doubt that they caught some kind of illness. like the others mentioned there isnt much that gets passed from chickens to people but I would take precautions from breathing in the dust.