A backyard chicken in Arlington, Va. (Maddie Meyer/The Washington Post)America’s love affair with backyard chickens is a tad too intimate, and it’s making some of us sick. A proposed ban on backyard flocks in Washington was recently scrapped after passionate opposition from chicken owners, supporters and some city council members. Elderly people should not touch backyard birds, nor should small children, who are more likely to get seriously ill from salmonella, the CDC says. “Chicks, ducklings and other live poultry that look healthy and clean can still carry Salmonella bacteria,” the CDC said. The salmonella outbreaks this year have hit hardest in Ohio, where 31 cases had been reported as of May 25.

Source: Washington Post June 05, 2017 17:03 UTC