CDC is investigating several multistate outbreaks of Salmonella infections linked to contact with live poultry in backyard flocks. So far, there have been 124 sick people reported from 36 states. Thirty-one percent of sick people are children younger than 5 years old. Seventy outbreaks of Salmonella infections have been linked to contact with backyard flocks since 2000. In 2017, CDC reported the largest number of illnesses ever recorded linked to backyard flocks.
Do you or someone you know keep a backyard flock? Read CDC's tips on how to handle live poultry safely, including washing your hands after touching chickens, ducks, and geese.