Chicks and Ducklings: Salmonella

Those cute little chicks and ducklings can be a great attraction for children, especially in the spring time, but they can also be a source of illness, so it's important for those who handle them to take steps to prevent infection.

Steps to prevent illness:

• Always wash hands after handling live poultry.
   
• Chicks, ducklings, and other live poultry should not be kept as pets in households with young children (i.e. less than 5 years old) or other high risk individuals, including pregnant women, older persons and the immune-compromised.

About keeping chicks and ducklings (and other live poultry)

• Keeping Backyard Poultry
  MDH website about keeping live poultry.
   
• Protecting Your Family from Salmonella (PDF)
  MDH flyer about chicks and Salmonella.
   
• Seriously, how cute are baby chicks? (PDF)
  Fun poster illustrating that while baby chicks are seriously adorable, Salmonella might be lurking under the fluff.

About Salmonella

• Salmonellosis (Salmonella)
  MDH comprehensive Salmonella website. Includes information about common symptoms, how the disease is spread, how to minimize your risk of acquiring Salmonella, and information for health care providers.

Each year outbreaks of Salmonella occur as a result of individuals coming in contact with baby poultry that are carrying Salmonella.

• CDC: Outbreaks Linked to Animals and Animal Products
  CDC website about outbreaks related to animals and animal products.

About illnesses and animals

• Intestinal Illness Acquired From Animals
  In recent years, intestinal disease associated with places where the public has contact with farm animals (e.g., petting zoos, state or county fairs, educational farms) has been identified with increasing frequency.
   
• Preventing Illness Associated with Animal Contact
  Fact sheet that answers frequently asked questions on how to stay healthy around household pets, petting zoos and fairs.