We all know the risks of salmonella and how important it is to keep chickens and chicken items in their own area. Seriously, do we really practice it? There should be a designated clean area around our house where chickens, our boots, rakes, etc never end up. We shouldn’t drink our morning coffee when tending to the chickens. I’m guilty, and I’ll bet I’m not alone. So let’s take another look at how to be responsible chicken keepers, got a couple minutes to keep your family safe? An increasing number of people around the country are choosing to keep live poultry, such as chickens or ducks, as part of a greener, healthier lifestyle. While you enjoy the benefits of backyard chickens and other poultry, it is important to consider the risk of illness, especially for children, which can result from handling live poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam. Learn More
If you’re a poultry keeper and not concerned with salmonella, you should be. Here are the facts and how to protect yourself and your family. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that is carried in the intestines of animals and can be shed into the environment. People typically become infected after eating contaminated foods or from contact with animals or their environments. Fact: Chicks, ducklings, and other poultry are a recognized source of Salmonella. Exposure to Salmonella People get sick from Salmonella by hand-to-mouth contact. Usually, this happens when people handle birds or their droppings and then accidentally touch their mouths or forget to wash their hands before eating or drinking. Even birds that do not look sick may be shedding Salmonella. And even though a bird looks clean, it may still have germs like Salmonella on its feathers or feet. Salmonella can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Occasionally people become sick enough to need to see a doctor or be hospitalized. Most people develop symptoms 1 to 3 days after being exposed to Salmonella and recover in about a week. Some people are more susceptible to infection and will have more severe disease. These people include young children, pregnant women, the elderly, people on chemotherapy, diabetics, and others with weakened immune systems. Prevention Do not let children less than five years of age or others at high-risk handle poultry or items contaminated by poultry. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling poultry or their droppings. Do not eat or drink around poultry or their living areas. Do not let poultry live inside your home. Do not wash the birds’ food and water dishes in the kitchen sink. Disinfectants for Good Poultry Housekeeping Roccal®: Mix 1/2 fluid oz of Roccal per gallon of water. Nolvasan® (chlorhexidine diacetate 2 percent): Mix 3 fluid oz of Nolvasan per gallon of water. Household bleach (sodium hypochlorite 6 percent): Mix 3/4 cup of household bleach per gallon of water. Lysol® spray for footwear Purell® hand pump for hand disinfection
Source: United States Department of Agriculture, USDA
TBN Ranch Chicken Keeping Resources 