Fear not: the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is not in the business of telling Americans they can’t dress up their poultry.
Last week the federal organization found itself in a flurry of news articles regarding whether pet chickens could safely be dressed in Halloween costumes, leading it to issue a press release that said it did not advise against dressing up chickens. The agency has not issued advice either way, a spokesperson for the CDC told Quartz, but urges safe handling of chickens regardless of the holiday.
- Wash the costumes after they’re worn. Wash them in a washing machine using hot water to get rid of any germs.
- Wash your hands after touching costumes.
- Make sure your chicken can breathe and walk normally while wearing the costume.
While giving its guidance, the CDC did not suggest any fun costume ideas for chickens, nor did it issue guidance for turkeys for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.