URBAN CHICKENS: SHOULD WE WORRY ABOUT SALMONELLA?
Connie of Urban Overalls is asking the question, “Should we worry about salmonella? Connie is a regular contributor here at What’s Hatching. Our readers enjoy what Connie has to say. Connie is a Colorado transplant from Iowa. And as an Iowa based company, we are proud to call her one of us!
We love their eggs, the sometimes larger-than-life personatlities, and antics of backyard chickens. It turns out, that many people share this attitude as keeping urban chickens is a growing trend according to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) which is an agency with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) whose duties include, but not limited to: animal welfare, disease management, and protection of public health and safety. But, as we gather eggs and perhaps cuddle our poultry, should we ask ourselves, “Are there hidden dangers in keeping a backyard flock?”
One of the main diseases attributed to poultry is Salmonella. Outbreaks of the disease are often traced from the grocery store where the contaminated eggs (or meat) were sold back to the commercial farm where the offending flock was raised. But does keeping backyard chickens eliminate that worry? Can you catch Salmonella from your urban flock?
But before tackling that topic, let’s explore what exactly is Salmonella. It is a bacterial disease that lives in the intestinal tract of the infected animal and is common in chickens and ducks. Salmonella can be passed onto humans.
This may leave you wondering, “How would I get infected from my chickens?”
One way is by handling an object that has come in contact with feces (perhaps you picked up a food dish that has some excrement on it? and bringing that hand near your mohth before properly washing. Remember, it is important to wash your hands after handling objects your chickens come in contact with.
Eating foods made with raw eggs. Think homemade mayonnaise or perhaps Caesar salad dressing. Even eating raw cookie dough continue here…..
Be sure to like Urban Overalls on Facebook for up to date happenings around Connie’s urban chicken farm!
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