The new influx of chicken flocks has put humans, as well as the poultry they care for, at risk of salmonella sickness. It is alarming that 28 percent of the reported salmonella infections are from children younger than 5 years of age. Seventy four percent of reported salmonella cases involved contact with poultry.
Source: Hobby Farms, March 3, 2021. Link. The primary key to healthy bird-keeping is diligent hand washing.
Wash your hands with soap and water right after touching backyard poultry, their eggs or anything in the area where they live and roam. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily available.” – Sherrill Davison, BA, VMD, MS, MBA
Also see: Search Results for: salmonella, poultry, chickens, Animal Health Digest. Link.
INSIGHTS: Spring brings new chicks to farm stores, the start of farmers’ markets and with pandemic restrictions waning, new visitors to homes and acreages. Please talk about the risks with clients, in your network and make it a point to inform local media to help educate the public. None of us wants to hear of a pre-school age child hospitalized or worse!