Salmonella infected chicks sold to small scale farmer in British Columbia
Health officials in British Columbia are warning small-flock chicken farmers they may be raising chicks infected with salmonella, and the bacterial infection could be passed on to their customers through farm gate eggs.
The infected chicks are from an Alberta hatchery linked to an outbreak of salmonella.
Normally there are protection measures in place to catch salmonella in hatchery chicks, said Interior Health public health physician Althea Hayden.
"Unfortunately those protection measures, in this case, failed," Hayden said.
Thirty-four people — including 13 from British Columbia — reported getting sick between April 5 and May 12, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Symptoms of salmonella include fever, chills, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea and vomiting.
Health and Agriculture officials in British Columbia said a number of salmonella infected chicks were sold to chicken farmers in British Columbia.
"Within British Columbia the chicks were distributed exclusively to back yard farmers," said Hayden.
The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture has produced a F.A.Q sheet for farmers who recently purchased chicks from Alberta.
According to the Ministry, while there are no requirements for chicken farmers to cull their flock, the most effective strategy to get rid of salmonella is to depopulate, clean and disinfect the premises thoroughly and start over with new chicks.
Infected birds will generally not display any symptoms of salmonella, according to the ministry.
The Ministry of Agriculture is offering farmers free testing to help determine if their flock is infected with salmonella.
Farm-fresh eggs could be infected with salmonella
If infected chickens mature and lay eggs, those eggs may be infected with salmonella, said Dr. Hayden.
"If backyard farmers don't address this issue properly the risk (of salmonella) in eggs could become higher," she said.
Those eggs could then be passed on to customers through farm-gate sales, said Dr. Hayden.
"I would never tell anyone that they can't buy eggs at the farmers' market," said Dr. Hayden.
"The only way to be sure that you are not exposing yourself (to salmonella) is to take good food safety precautions. That means thoroughly cooking your eggs."
