Tom Tabler
Professor and Extension Poultry Specialist
Cases of avian influenza have slowed considerably with the onset of hot weather and the fact that we are between the spring and fall waterfowl migration seasons. Knock on wood but the last reported case of avian influenza in poultry in the U.S. was on July 2nd. Cases continue to occur in dairy cattle with the last reported case in the U.S. on August 1st. We are not out of the woods yet and avian influenza should still be on everyone’s radar. It remains on the CDC’s radar as they try to learn more about backyard flock owners and their knowledge of avian influenza and biosecurity. If you have a backyard poultry flock, the CDC would like your assistance with a survey entitled “Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to avian influenza among people who own backyard flocks.” Please consider taking 10-15 minutes to fill out the survey at the link below.
Are you raising a backyard flock? This survey is for you!
Since March 2024, 70 cases of avian influenza A(H5) (H5 bird flu) have occurred in humans in the United States, mostly among workers exposed to infected dairy cows and commercial poultry farms. However, cases have also occurred among people exposed to birds kept in non-commercial, backyard flocks.
CDC is interested in learning more about backyard flock owners and their flocks. The anonymous survey asks about:
- Characteristics of backyard flock owners, their families, and their flocks.
- Knowledge of H5 bird flu and signs and symptoms of H5 bird flu in birds and humans.
- Perceived risk of and concern about H5 bird flu to their backyard flock and themselves/families.
- Attitudes towards reporting sick or dead birds and protective measures like vaccination of their flock.
- Practices they use to protect their flock and themselves from H5 bird flu.
CDC will use the survey results to improve H5 bird flu prevention activities. Questions can be sent to h5flustudy@cdc.gov.
QR code to the survey:
URL link to the survey:
https://redcap.link/backyardflock
