Bird Flu and Backyard Chickens: What Flock Owners Know, and What They Miss, 2025

Many American households keep backyard birds, mostly chickens, for eggs, meat or the garden. Those flocks are occasionally infected with avian influenza A viruses, putting their owners at risk. Avian influenza A(H5) — “bird flu” — circulates among wild waterfowl and seabirds and has caused outbreaks in poultry, dairy cows and other mammals; 71 human cases were reported in the United States from March 2024, three of them in backyard flock owners, two of whom died.

From July 23 to December 3, 2025, CDC and state health and agriculture partners ran an anonymous online survey of flock owners, in English and Spanish, to guide education and prevention.

Who answered

638 owners in 48 states completed it:

• 61% rural; 92% white and not Hispanic; 60% aged 30–54; 47% with a graduate or professional degree
• 58% had someone at home at higher risk of flu complications
• experienced keepers: 29% had flocks for more than 10 years and 48% for 3–10 years; 69% kept fewer than 20 birds
• 71% had no veterinarian to consult about their flock

The flocks

Chickens lived in 97% of flocks; 74% were chickens only and 16% chickens with ducks or geese. About half (47%) of flocks spent most of the day in a covered run — but 54% of owners said wild birds could reach their flock’s food or water, raising the risk of infection.

What owners knew

About birds: 94% had heard of bird flu; 89% knew backyard flocks had been infected, and 79% that people in the U.S. had caught it. But only 32% could name all the signs in birds — sudden death, low energy or appetite, trouble breathing, fewer eggs and diarrhea — and 13% didn’t know any. Only 57% said they would contact someone, such as a veterinarian or the local agriculture or health department, if their birds showed signs.

About people: just 16% knew all the signs and symptoms in humans — flu-like symptoms plus pink or watery eyes, diarrhea and vomiting; 27% didn’t know any. 77% saw themselves at low risk.

What flock owners knew about signs of bird flu in birds and people. Image from CDC’s report.

Precautions

About 90% knew the recommended precautions if bird flu is suspected: don’t touch sick or dead birds, don’t bring sick birds inside, don’t eat raw or undercooked products from them, and wear protective gear if handling them. Asked what they would wear:

Owners who knew more about bird flu were more likely to say they would use protective gear.

What would help

• Keep flocks, feed and water separated from wild birds, as in the USDA’s Defend the Flock program.
• Learn the signs of infection in birds and know whom to call; consider building a relationship with a veterinarian.
• Explain why eye protection and coveralls matter, and when and how to use each item.
• Know the non-respiratory symptoms in people — such as eye irritation, diarrhea and vomiting — seek care promptly, and tell your doctor about bird exposure.

Limits: the survey was an online convenience sample — likely more rural and better educated than bird-owning households generally, so it may overestimate knowledge — and self-reported answers may overstate willingness to take precautions.

Sources

Based on Rolfes MA, Bauck L, Lipton BA, et al., "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Avian Influenza Among Owners of Backyard Flocks — United States, July–December 2025," MMWR Vol. 75, No. 18, CDC; a work of the United States government in the public domain.