Are baby chicks too dirty to hold?

[jenngue86]

We are getting 6 baby chicks (3 Buffs and 3 Barred Rocks) in a few weeks (FYI - never have had chickens before). We have the brooder all ready to go and think we will put it in the basement - due to smell and dust (or so I have heard). We would like them socialized though so I am a little nervous about not having them upstairs with us. I guess I will have to go visit the basement a lot.

My question is about the socializing of the chicks. I have seen so many pictures of people cuddling with them and letting them on their furniture. Aren't they very dirty? Can't they carry diseases? I was planning on just holding them but do I need to change my clothes every time I interact with them? Should I be too worried about this? Help!

 

[Dayrel]

It is a good idea to clean your hands after handling chickens, but changing your clothes (assuming they didn't mess on it) is going overboard.

 

[coastingangel]

Hi, baby chicks are too cute not to hold! I agree as long as you wash your hands afterwards you will be fine.

 

[N F C]

Hi, baby chicks are too cute not to hold! I agree as long as you wash your hands afterwards you will be fine.

x2 (or is it x3?)!

Just wash your hands after handling them and you should be fine. Enjoy your new little fuzz balls!

 

[bruceha2000]

You can hold them though they won't necessarily like it. Consider a giant hand coming out of the sky attached to a giant being. And think about that from the point of view of a prey species.

They might poop on your hands. Chickens poop where ever they happen to be when the urge strikes. That is why you wash your hands. Day old chicks in your house aren't likely to be carrying diseases.

 

[Abriana]

While they aren’t necessarily dirty, they may have germs. If you get have hatched chicks with shells, don’t allow children to handle them or other chickens to eat them. They contain feces and bacteria from the chick that was inside. As a precaution, always wash hands after handling chicks or older birds. You never know what they could be into and it is always better to be safe than sorry.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

I hold my chicks every day, even my hens. They are an integral part of our farm for providing eggs and being pets. Washing your hands will suffice. Your brood box will get dusty, that's chickens, but as far as smell. .. just keep it clean and it's not that bad.
Good luck !

 

[llombardo]

My hands are very wrinkled right now. Washing before and after handling.

 

[pitbullmomma]

I kiss my chickens and chicks. I can't NOT kiss them.

I'm a healthcare professional. Haven't gotten salmonella in almost a year of chickenkeeping, and my lips haven't rotted off yet, lol!

ETA: Just wash your hands or sanitize after handling, don't let babies or immunocompromised people handle them, you should be fine. I keep a pumpable thing of Purell next to my brooder. My hands are dry, but oh well.

I don't think my chicks smell. If you keep the brooder clean, they actually have a kind of pleasant smell. Like warm, fuzzy chicken and sunshine. They do walk in their poo and they will poop on you, but that is the nature of baby chicks....totally worth it!

 

[HenHouse4Life]

I kiss my chickens and chicks. I can't NOT kiss them.

I'm a healthcare professional. Haven't gotten salmonella in almost a year of chickenkeeping, and my lips haven't rotted off yet, lol!