State officials encourage safe handling of live poultry

Press release

Raising backyard poultry has become an increasingly popular activity in Montana.

Spring is a common season to purchase and begin raising young birds, and many feed stores in Montana sell chicks and ducks.

While benefits to raising poultry exist, there are also associated health risks. Poultry can carry and shed bacteria such as Salmonella without showing any signs of disease. Salmonella can cause illness in humans and can be spread while handling live poultry or objects in their environment. Montana has already investigated multiple cases of salmonellosis this year among...