DIY Chicken Coop Gel Hand Sanitizer Dispenser
Washing your hands is the most important aspect of protecting yourself from salmonella from backyard chickens. Installing a handy hand sanitizer right in your coop can help make clean hands a habit.
While we may not want to believe it of our adorable fluffy butts in the backyard, salmonella can be transmitted from your backyard chickens to you and your family if proper precautions aren't taken.
Good practice is to assume that all chickens carry the salmonella bacteria. It actually is pretty common even in backyard chickens.
Healthy chickens can carry the bacteria in their intestines and not show symptoms, and even healthy humans can come in contact with salmonella and not become sickened.
Good practice is to assume that all chickens carry the salmonella bacteria. It actually is pretty common even in backyard chickens.
Healthy chickens can carry the bacteria in their intestines and not show symptoms, and even healthy humans can come in contact with salmonella and not become sickened.
Simple common sense and basic biosecurity goes a long way in protecting your family from salmonella. According to the CDC, washing your hands after handling your chickens or being around their living environment is critical.
Of course nothing can replace good old warm soapy water, but installing a hand sanitizer dispenser right in your coop can help make cleaning your hands a habit.
Of course nothing can replace good old warm soapy water, but installing a hand sanitizer dispenser right in your coop can help make cleaning your hands a habit.
Especially if you have young children, teaching them good hygiene especially around the chickens is important. If they have friends come over to play, there's a good chance at some point they'll head to the coop to visit the chickens or collect eggs.
So making the hand sanitizer part of their routine will help to keep any salmonella bacteria they encounter in check.
Here are some easy instructions for making a hand sanitizer dispenser that you can hang right in your chicken coop.
So making the hand sanitizer part of their routine will help to keep any salmonella bacteria they encounter in check.
Here are some easy instructions for making a hand sanitizer dispenser that you can hang right in your chicken coop.
What you Need:
Antibacterial hand gel (commercial or you can make your own)
Antibacterial hand gel (commercial or you can make your own)
12” piece of 1x6 lumber, stained or painted (optional, I left my natural)
Cordless drill with small drill bit and screw bit
Two short screws
One long screw
What you Do:
Pour your hand gel into the mason jar. Screw on the pump top. Using the drill bit, make two pilot holes in the back of the hose clamp, about an inch apart. Then position the jar in the center of the board and screw the clamp into position with the flat head screwdriver.
Slide the jar into the clamp and using the screwdriver, tighten the clamp to secure the mason jar in place. Using a longer screw, attach the back board to your coop wall by the door.
Use the pump to squirt your hands liberally each time you leave your chicken coop. And remember, it’s still important to keep your hands out of your eyes and mouth after handling your chickens and also follow up with a quick wash in warm soapy water when you get back to the house.
If you liked this project, you're going to love my new book 101 Chicken Keeping Hacks from Fresh Eggs Daily: Tips, Tricks and Ideas for You and your Hens which this project was excerpted from. In the book, I share the complete instructions to make the dispenser and also my recipe for homemade all natural herbal hand sanitizer! 101 Chicken Keeping Hacks is available for pre-order now!
Stuff you'll Need
