Officials at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services are asking people to know about the potential for baby poultry to carry Salmonella bacteria.
As spring arrives and chicks and ducklings become available in local feed and agriculture supply stores, officials warn that if proper precautions are not taken, even handling baby birds displayed in stores can cause a Salmonella infection.
“Raising birds for eggs and meat can be fun and educational, but all poultry, even those that appear healthy and clean, have the potential to carry the Salmonella bacteria,” said MDHHS Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Mary Grace Stobierski. “Washing your hands thoroughly before and after handling chicks and other poultry protects both you and your family from the risk of Salmonella, and also helps keep the birds healthy.”
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