Backyard Chickens Responsible for Latest Salmonella Outbreak: What To Know
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Backyard flocks are being blamed for the latest Salmonella outbreak in the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
There have been seven total cases across six states, the CDC said in a press release Monday.
Poultry—including chickens, ducks and their eggs—can carry the bacteria that leads to nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.
Why It Matters
The bird flu has already wiped out chickens throughout the nation, leading to soaring egg prices. According to Trading Economics, they peaked in early March at $8.17 a dozen before tipping back down to $3.32 just a month later, on May 6.
Many Americans, already grappling with high grocery prices that President Donald Trump vowed to eliminate during his second term, have been trying to avoid the sticker shock by stocking their own flocks in their backyard or buying from chicken owners, but bird flu and salmonella still hold a risk for home grown birds.
What To Know
The cases the CDC is currently investigating occurred in Florida, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Dakota, Utah, and Missouri, which has two cases. The CDC said those cases likely count towards a larger outbreak, as many people recover without medical intervention.
Chickens exit the barn where they were laying eggs on the farm where they are raised as part of the "Rent The Chicken" service in Agua Dulce, California, on April 21, 2025.
Chickens exit the barn where they were laying eggs on the farm where they are raised as part of the "Rent The Chicken" service in Agua Dulce, California, on April 21, 2025.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
Salmonella is a bacterium that settles in human and animal intestinal tracts. It spreads through touch, which is a critical part of owning chickens and picking out their eggs.
Symptoms include abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea which can become severe and require hospitalization, according to the CDC. They can start as soon as six hours or as late as six days after the bacterium is ingested.
Those who are ill can recover without treatment or medication within four to seven days but those who have severe symptoms need to seek medical treatment, the CDC advised.
Children under the age of five should not handle poultry, the CDC said, as they are more likely to become ill from the bacterium.
They also advise people to wash their hands after handling poultry and eggs, and, most importantly: "Don't kiss or snuggle backyard poultry, and don't eat or drink around them."
What People Are Saying
Whoopi Goldberg responded to Trump's latest move to make movies only in the United States on ABC's The View, saying: "What that equates to is, you're going to tell me how to write the story I want to write if it happens in Europe? Look, could you please lower the price of eggs before you start this?"
What Happens Next
Health officials will continue to track cases, but those who have their own chickens should follow CDC advice.
Eggs should be collected often, dirt should be wiped or washed away, and the eggs should be stored in the firdge. Officials say cold water shouldn't be used to wash eggs because they can pull germs into the eggs. And when you cook your eggs, make sure to burn all germs by cooking at 160°F.
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