The Cottage Smallholder

Hi Sueiee, easier said than done but don't fret. I used to have chickens for three years and cleared out the chicken coop about once a week and refreshed the sawdust and then added that to the compost heap and had great vegetables and no ill effects from them. Of course it is important to wash your hands, as in most cleaning jobs but it is actually more important to challenge our immune systems than to live in a sterile environment. Our bodies are wonderful things, designed to cope with all sorts of bugs etc and when they don't get the chance of a good fight every now and again it is then our bodies end up in trouble - that is why there is so much asthma and allergies around - not enough bugs in our lives.

While I totally agree with Joanna and Brightspark, there are  some people who cannot cope with the worry of the germs that animals can generate.  Whilst we  take as much care as we can to follow hygiene rules and always keep health and safety issues in our minds, for most of us, it is just a matter of course.  Looking after hens is not for everyone and I would suggest if it is a worry it may be better not to have them rather than run the risk of neglecting their needs because of constant worry.  Keeping animals should be a joy.  There are things I wouldn't do because I wouldn't be comfortable.  Each to his own.