Can chickens catch diseases from rats?

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asked Aug 23, 2020 in Chickens by sociox (250 points)
Can chickens catch diseases from rats?

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answered Aug 24, 2020 by Cathy21 (85,770 points)
Yes chickens can catch some diseases from rats.

Also rats can eat baby chicks and rats also eat chicken eggs as well.

It's rare that a chicken or chickens get infected with diseases from rats but it's possible for it to happen.

One of the most common diseases that chickens can catch from rats is Salmonella.

Salmonella is carried by rats and mice and the salmonella can infect the chickens through the rat droppings or if the rat bites the chicken.

The easiest way to tell if a chicken has salmonella is to watch the chicken closely to see if they show any signs of salmonella.

When a chicken has salmonella the chicken will be sick and not it's normal self.

A chicken with salmonella will usually have purplish combs and wattles, be weak, be lethargic, will eat less, have a decreased appetite but have an increased thirst.

If you notice any of those signs then the chicken likely has salmonella and if your chickens are producing eggs it's best to not eat them.

Although cooking the eggs to a high enough temperature and cooking the eggs all the way through will usually kill off the salmonella bacteria it's not worth the risk.

Not all chickens and poultry will show signs of salmonella so it can sometimes be hard to know for sure if your chicken has salmonella.

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