Health & WellbeingAre backyard chickens safe to keep and are they hard to care for?
Hello. Chickens can indeed spread diseases, like Salmonella, Campylobacter, Mycobacterium & Chlamidia. But if you have a normal functioning immune system & wash hands after working & handling the chickens & eggs, you should be fine. Chickens can be a lot of work as you need a proper place to keep them safe, a good coop for the night, proper food in the correct ratios, ocassional worming & make sure you only purchase chicks that have been vaccinated for Mareks. There are wonderful books & websites for new chicken owners. I like https://www.mypetchicken.com & https://the-chicken-chick.com. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025