Youth For Public Health

If you’ve ever owned a reptile, like my turtles, you’ve probably been told to wash your hands every time you touch them because they carry salmonella. I always thought that warning was just for uncommon pets, but it turns out salmonella is a big issue for backyard chickens too. And unlike turtles, chickens are becoming more and more common in neighborhoods across the country. So in today’s post, we will look at the CDC’s article “Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Backyard Poultry.” 

According to the CDC, public health officials in several states are looking into 8 multistate outbreaks of salmonella illness linked to contact with backyard farming. In total, 814 people have gotten sick, 201 have been hospitalized, and one person has died. Cases have been reported in 44 states and one US owned land, showing just how widespread the problem is. 

Now you might be wondering, why does backyard poultry spread salmonella? Well, the CDC explains that backyard poultry, including chickens and ducks can carry salmonella even if they look healthy and clean. These germs spread easily to anything in the areas where the chickens live. You can get sick simply by touching the birds or their environment and then touching your mouth or food. 

One detail really stood out to me. A quarter of the sick people are children under 5 years old. Kids are more likely to touch the chickens, or forget to wash their hands, which puts them at higher risk. 

The CDC notes that the largest outbreak has a high number of people reporting contact with ducks. Even though chickens get the most attention, ducks can carry and spread salmonella just as easily. 

The CDC gives several clear steps to protect yourself from getting salmonella. Besides not letting children handle chicks, and collecting/washing the eggs, the key thing is to wash your hands! I don’t know about you guys, but I think we are starting to see a key theme for preventing sickness. Something we take for granted is washing your hands, but now, I’m really starting to see the importance of the little things we do, like washing your hands! 

Just like my turtles, backyard chickens can be awesome as pets! The CDC makes it clear that salmonella is common, and easy to spread, but also preventable with good hand hygiene. Whether you’re collecting eggs or feeding a reptile, the rule is the same: wash your hands, and enjoy animals safely.