Got Chickens at Home? You Might Have Salmonella
Having on-demand access to fresh eggs is great, right?
Well, not when they come with a side of a deadly disease.
According to the CDC, we saw over 1,100 cases of salmonella in almost every state in the country in 2016. That number wouldn't be so daunting if all those cases came from the typical sources like food or water contaminated with salmonella. Problem is, a lot of the cases are stemming from chickens people are keeping on farms or in their backyard.
The CDC has confirmed at least 10 poultry-linked cases of salmonella in the past year, the highest on record. One of those cases resulted in death. While salmonella isn't always fatal, it can be, but can also result in diarrhea, vomiting, or a nasty fever.
How can you hang on to your feathered friends but also keep yourself safe? The CDC has plenty of outlines on how to properly care for chickens on your property. Fortunately, salmonella cases in Idaho are far less frequent than most U.S. states.