Page 13 - Harnett Life Summer 2018

Backyard Chickens

and the

Shaggy Dog

By Dr. Janet Batker

Greetings, animal lovers, from Lillington Veterinary Hos- vice to wash your hands before you eat and not to put your
pital. I recently returned from a quick trip to see my sister hands in your nose or mouth or eyes (all mucus membranes
in New Orleans. We did a lot of walking around and I was that allow easier access to your body by infectious diseases)
surprised and delighted to see a very small backyard that if you handle animals. Raising poultry for pets or eggs often
contained a chicken coop. Of course, this was very neat tempts one to snuggle the baby birds, and this has caused
and tidy, decorative. The yard was supervised by a Great outbreaks of Salmonella; Salmonella causes severe diar-
Pyrenees, a huge white shaggy dog that can typically be rhea-even though it doesn’t usually cause serious illness in
trusted with small, young, and helpless animals of any the birds. Some of these outbreaks, along with Campylo-
kind, due to its natural guardian instinct. Great Pyrenees bacter infections, also come from consuming undercooked
are white to distinguish them from predatory wild canids eggs or meat. I have a cutting board designated for poultry
like wolves-this color was specifically selected so that at and avoid homemade mayo and Caesar salad (I don’t like
night, if a farmer needed to shoot the attacker of his flock, anchovies anyway!). Collect eggs from the nest early in the
he could distinguish his dog from the attacker. day, wash them in slightly warm soap and water, then refrig-
erate. Flies abound if the coop is not kept clean, and they
While this dog is protecting the flock, I want to make sure too transmit disease, as do any rodent invaders. It is clearly
you are protected from the diseases that chickens can give best to play it safe and do your research when getting into
people or pets. Always, always remember your mom’s ad- the poultry business.

Harnett Life ~ Summer 2018 Page 13