Can domestic poultry like chickens, turkeys, or ducks get avian flu from a wild bird?
Yes. Chickens and other poultry can get avian flu from wild birds, and infection with highly pathogenic strains in domestic poultry will cause a high death rate. Waterfowl or other wild birds carrying avian flu virus may contaminate the water sources of domestic poultry, enter pens to feed on poultry food, or drop their feces into poultry houses and pens when flying over. People with backyard poultry should practice good disease prevention measures (“biosecurity”).
