Another Salmonella outbreak has been linked to a Missouri hatchery that sells mail order chicks and ducklings. Last month, reports surfaced involving a Salmonella outbreak from a mail-order hatchery in Ohio.That outbreak sickened 93 people in 23 states; the current outbreak related to the Missouri hatchery has affected 66 people in 20 states, but half of the infections are in Kansas and Missouri, the CDC said.
The birds may be cute, and kids may love them, but it’s not a good idea to give a child — or an adult — live baby poultry. And if you go to a petting zoo or pet store with live baby poultry, think twice before touching the birds. These infections probably could have been avoided with proper hygiene; the CDC recommends washing your hands with soap and water immediately after coming in contact with live poultry or anything in the birds’ living area.
The CDC has a great resource on their website addressing preventive measures people can take to avoid a Salmonella infection from live poultry.