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Barnyard Buddies:  chickens  |
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chickensforme
True Blue Farmgirl
90 Posts
Anne
Coopersburg
Pa
USA
90 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 25 2014 : 11:18:14 AM
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Hello Girls,
I have ordered my chickens and coop for the spring. I have a few questions to all of you who have chickens.
One of the magazines said I have to be very careful about salmonella when handling chickens and anything they have touched or is in the coop. They said it is a MUST to wash your hands. I have seen a lot of pictures with even little children handling the chickens. Articles said chicks can have salmonella from the Mom and pass it down without anyone knowing. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? I have grandchildren that I wanted to share them with. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Anne
" A dog's tail never lies." |
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2014 : 9:29:23 PM
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surprised no one has answered this?! Just saw it so I will help you dear hen.....anyone who touches/interacts with chicks/chickens should wash their hands after they pick them up...if you are worried about the grandbabies just have some disposable wipes near by so as soon as they are done you can hand those out...one good thing is as the kids interact with the chicks they will build up their systems to be able to handle the mild diseases the chicks may spread....but its always good to have the wipes around for the really messing times like when they get pooed on & I am sure they will...lol.....
Chickens RULE!
hen #2622
www.theoldbatzfarm.blogspot.com/ |
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Dapple Grey Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
725 Posts
Betty
Goodrich
Texas
USA
725 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2014 : 07:41:20 AM
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I have a bottle of santitizer taped to a barn pole for quick use if needed. Another idea is to hang a bar of soap in a pantyhose leg on the water faucet for washing hands at the barn. (old girl scout trick) :)
~ Betty ~
Farmgirl Sister # 5589 |
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msdoolittle
True Blue Farmgirl
1143 Posts
Amanda
East Texas
USA
1143 Posts |
Posted - Feb 10 2014 : 10:40:35 PM
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I think that there is a general fear out there in our culture about these kind of things. Germs are everywhere. I fear the handle of a buggy at WalMart MUCH more than I fear holding a baby or adult chicken. That is not to say that I would play with my chickens and then go into the house and make myself a sandwich without washing my hands.
In such situations, use common sense. Yes, have the grandbabies wash hands after handling chickens, but I wouldn't obsess over it, either. The cut up chicken and beef that you buy in the grocery store is coated in salmonella and E. coli, and we actually put that into our mouths (willingly!). So, a good handwashing/sanitizer should keep everyone healthy.
My girls go out in the chicken pen daily and love on the chickens like a puppy or kitten. They are required to wash hands before they eat, of course, and as far as I know, they have not gotten sick as a result of handling them. :) Hatchery stock has to be tested for certain diseases, a couple of which are salmonella variants, though not the type to infect humans. Still...
I actually got salmonella poisoning, and it was from chicken, but not a live chicken! It was chicken fajita meat that was improperly stored and I was literally down for a week. It was the sickest I have ever been in my life. So, I am not trying to be flippant when I say not to worry too much about it, because that stuff is baaaaad. But, it is much more prevalent in commercial operations (egg and meat production houses) than it is in a backyard setting (thought I'm sure they'd never admit that).
You will see many different recommendations and suggestions. All do involve washing hands. The kids sing Happy Birthday a couple of times while they wash; otherwise it would be more of a 'rinse' than a 'wash'. Lol.
If you have very tiny grandbabies, and you are not comfortable with allowing them to touch the chickens, I have seen recommendations of the age of 5 being the age that they can handle the chicks. Of course, toddlers try to stick everything in their mouths and such (plus crush baby chicks!), so it's probably not a completely bad idea. lol Also, their immune systems have had longer to develop, so that is probably the other part to the story. Anyway, I am no expert, but I think a good hand scrubbing will take care of whomever would like to touch the chicks.
The only exception would be immunocompromised adults or kids. That would be the only time I would NOT let someone play with my chickens.
Hope you enjoy your babies. :0)
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
Edited by - msdoolittle on Feb 10 2014 10:44:28 PM |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2014 : 08:03:13 AM
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well said Amanda. We have had chickens forever and nobody has ever been sick from them. We have raised them in the house even. Common sense prevails. Just don't obsess and always wash your hands. MB
http://www.smallcityscenes.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
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msdoolittle
True Blue Farmgirl
1143 Posts
Amanda
East Texas
USA
1143 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2014 : 3:05:41 PM
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Thanks. We have had them and hatched them in the house as well. Everything as a risk attached to it, I guess you could say, but I try to weigh the positives and the negatives. We just haven't had an issue with chickens causing sickness in our family.
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
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Beverley
True Blue Farmgirl
2707 Posts
Beverley
atlanta
Michigan
USA
2707 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2014 : 7:57:16 PM
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My grandkids come and walk around the yard carrying the chickens and my two smaller chickens are theirs just so they do have some to carry. I have have little chickens that they have played with and all I do is tell them to go wash their hands after playing with them. I have never had anyone get sick. and the kids just love them.
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett
Beverley with an extra E...
https://sites.google.com/site/bevsdoggies/
http://bevsdoggies.blogspot.com/ |
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magnoliakathy
True Blue Farmgirl
453 Posts
Kathryn
Magnolia
Texas
USA
453 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2014 : 06:50:48 AM
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Wash hands before eating or drinking, common sense, I have a bag of soap scraps hanging next to the faucet in the barn all the time.
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2014 : 07:51:33 AM
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wash my hands every time I handle a chicken, lol...I would have no skin left, as well as my grandkids (from very young ages), kids that are around/raised on farms/ranches and cities that are allowed to play in the dirt will build imunitys to all those pesky bugs, and will rarely get sick...useing those alcohol based hand sanitizers are not good either, a bar of soap in panty hose at the barn sinks, and outdoor facets is something we all use also, and that is for the nasty/stinky ick we get on our hands, not from handleing an animal...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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teckelhut
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Sussie
Deschutes Junction
Oregon
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2014 : 5:08:22 PM
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I have never washed my hands after handling eggs and have never been sick. Poor living conditions for chickens is generally the cause of these outbreaks. This is usually not the case with chickens that are on personal farms as they are not crammed into cages like factory farmed chickens are.
Sussie of Teckelhut Acres
Heritage Chickens
Meat and Show Rabbits
Certified Naturally Raised
Certified Humane
Deschutes Junction, OR
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teckelhut
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Sussie
Deschutes Junction
Oregon
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2014 : 5:10:26 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by oldbittyhen
wash my hands every time I handle a chicken, lol...I would have no skin left, as well as my grandkids (from very young ages), kids that are around/raised on farms/ranches and cities that are allowed to play in the dirt will build imunitys to all those pesky bugs, and will rarely get sick...useing those alcohol based hand sanitizers are not good either, a bar of soap in panty hose at the barn sinks, and outdoor facets is something we all use also, and that is for the nasty/stinky ick we get on our hands, not from handleing an animal...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad"
That is so true. Why even here recently on the news they were stating that the public is realizing that hand sanitizers are creating more bad than good.
Sussie of Teckelhut Acres
Heritage Chickens
Meat and Show Rabbits
Certified Naturally Raised
Certified Humane
Deschutes Junction, OR
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Peg Graham
True Blue Farmgirl
281 Posts
Peg
Chesapeake
Virginia
USA
281 Posts |
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Barnyard Buddies: chickens |
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chickens
