The backyard fowl are at the center of a recent salmonella outbreak that's infected 97 people in 28 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A third of the sick are children under 5.
Among the CDC's guidelines for preventing future infection -- "Don't kiss or snuggle backyard poultry."
Sure, planting a peck on your baby chick's beak may sound sweet, if not a bit sharp. But chicks and ducks that seem healthy can harbor Salmonella bacteria, and it can live in their environments, too, the CDC said.
It's the second time within a year that the CDC's pleaded with the public to end the snuggles. In a salmonella outbreak in September 2019, the agency issued the same advice -- and during that outbreak, more than 1,000 people were infected across 49 states
So, yeah. The kissing stuff is serious.
CNN link so can't post here