A large, ongoing federal outbreak investigation links Salmonella illnesses across 43 states to contact with backyard chickens, ducks, and other poultry, and one in four people who have gotten sick is a child under five years old. As of June 8, 2026, the CDC has confirmed 513 people infected across 43 states and a U.S. territory, with 134 hospitalizations (35% of cases with available data) and one death in Washington state.
Summer intensifies the risk. Children spend more time outdoors and in direct contact with backyard birds. Warmer temperatures extend Salmonella's environmental persistence in poultry areas. The millions of chicks and ducklings purchased from agricultural retailers between January and April 2026 are now fully grown and actively shedding bacteria.
