It’s time again for Easter chicks and to urge animal health pros to reinforce the zoonotic risks associated with them. The CDC warns, “Don’t kiss or snuggle backyard poultry, and don’t eat or drink around them. This can spread Salmonella germs to your mouth and make you sick <Link>.”
As part of a series, Isabelle Louge, DVM, encourages owners to first find and contact their veterinarian after bringing home chickens to discuss resources for maintaining flock health.
Because there is a shortage of veterinarians who are willing to see poultry in backyard flock scenarios, it is important to reach out to clinics before you have a problem to ensure that you can find reliable information and help with managing the health of your flock.” – Isabelle Louge, DVM
Sources: Pet Talk, Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Link.
- Backyard Chickens part 1: Preparing to buy healthy birds, March 2, 2023. Link.
- Backyard Chickens part 2: Maintaining healthy birds, March 9, 2023. Link.
Louge encourages prospective bird owners to buy chickens from commercial hatcheries that vaccinate for Marek’s disease, a common and highly contagious disease among chickens. There is no cure or treatment for the disease, so prevention is critical.
Chickens can only be vaccinated in the egg or at 1 day of age, since vaccinating later in life does not ensure protection.” – Isabelle Louge, DVM
Also see: Getting chicks? Choose wisely, Acreage Life, April 2023. Link.
Also see: Search results for chickens + kiss, AHD. Link.