Use Caution When Coloring Your Chick
(AP) RHODE ISLAND Easter is right around the corner and so is the threat of salmonella carried by baby chicks often given to children as springtime gifts, health officials are now warning.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 81 people in 22 states fell ill last spring after contracting salmonella from chicks. Three outbreaks occurred around Easter, and at least some of the cases were believed to stem from birds given as gifts.
And a Rhode Island pet store owner found himself in trouble this week after he dyed some of his chicks, and tried mailing them. The Centers for Disease Control says chicks that are dyed Easter colors are even less safe than un-dyed chicks. "Chicks are dyed to make them more attractive to children," he said. "Many states prohibit the sale of dyed chicks. This is to prevent them from being sold to children as pets.
Some states have passed laws to discourage giving small birds as Easter gifts. Four states set a minimum on how many birds an individual can buy. Twelve states limit the youngest age at which live poultry can be sold. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia ban the sale of birds that have been dyed.
