United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

Veterinary Services

Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health April 2011

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Urban Chicken Flocks in Four

U.S. Cities: the Human/Chicken 

Interface 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Animal 

Health Monitoring System conducted the Poultry 2010 

study. An objective of the study was to characterize 

urban chicken flocks in four major U.S. cities: Denver, 

Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City. 

To collect data in Denver, Los Angeles, and Miami, 

feed stores were visited and a questionnaire was 

administered to customers who owned chickens, lived 

on less than 1 acre of land, and lived within the 

respective city’s defined boundaries. The questionnaire

was available in English and Spanish, and only one 

questionnaire per household was administered. In New 

York City, data were collected from members of a 

chicken-related club, rather than from feed store 

customers. The study questionnaire was available for 

completion on the club’s Web site and also administered 

at a presentation to club members. A total of 147, 189, 

56, and 33 questionnaires were completed in Denver, 

Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City, respectively. 

Children in households with urban chickens

Overall, 57.6 percent of flocks were at households 

that had children less than 18 years old, and 24.7 

percent of flocks were at households that had children 

under 5 years old. Los Angeles had the highest 

percentage of flocks at households with children under 5 

years old (37.3 percent). The majority of households with 

children allowed the children to have contact with the 

chickens. In fact, children had contact with the chickens 

on 61.5 percent of flocks in which children under the age 

of 5 were present and 77.1 percent of flocks in which 

children between the ages of 5 and 17 were present.

Salmonella awareness

Salmonella bacteria have been isolated from nearly 

all vertebrates, and Salmonella infections have been

associated with animal and human disease. Shedding of 

Salmonella bacteria in poultry often occurs in the 

absence of clinical signs, sometimes for extended 

periods. In some cases, human illness caused by 

Salmonella has been attributed to the handling of live 

poultry or the consumption of poultry products. Typical

signs of Salmonella infection in humans include fever 

and diarrhea. Salmonellosis in humans is typically self

limiting, with most people recovering within 1 week. 

Rarely, severe cases can result in death.*

During the Poultry 2010 study, urban-chicken 

owners were asked if they were aware of any connection 

between poultry contact, such as contact with chicks or 

ducks, and Salmonella infection in people. About onehalf of respondents (46.0 percent) were aware of a 

connection between poultry and Salmonella infection in 

people, ranging from 30.2 percent of respondents in Los 

Angeles to 65.3 percent of respondents in Denver (figure 

2). Of flock owners with children in the household that 

had contact with the chickens, 50.0 percent were aware 

of a connection between poultry contact and Salmonella

infection in people. Respondents were also asked where 

they learned about the connection. Common sources 

were television, Internet, books, and word of mouth. 

 *www.cdc.gov/salmonella
United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

Hand washing is an important measure for

preventing the transmission of Salmonella from poultry 

to humans. Overall, about 9 of 10 flocks (88.3 percent) 

sometimes or always required people (including family) 

to wash their hands after handling chickens. 

Urban chickens as a food source

Urban chicken flocks might provide meat and eggs 

for home consumption or to local food systems such as 

farmers’ markets; therefore, it is important that urban 

chicken flock owners be familiar with food safety 

precautions.

The Centers for Disease Control provides the 

following guidelines to prevent foodborne illness from 

poultry products: 

• If home slaughtered, thoroughly wash the chicken

after evisceration.

• Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature 

of 165°F before consumption. Use a meat 

thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to a safe 

temperature.

• Egg shells should be washed and sanitized to 

remove microorganisms such as Salmonella. 

Discard eggs that are cracked, broken, or leaking.

• Keep raw foods (meats, poultry, and eggs) separate 

from cooked foods in the refrigerator.

• Store eggs at 40°F or lower to reduce bacterial 

growth.

• Wash hands and slaughter/cooking surfaces often.

About three-fourths of flocks in Denver and New 

York City (75.5 and 77.4 percent, respectively) 

considered food source (eggs, meat) a very or extremely 

important reason for having chickens. In Los Angeles 

and Miami, about one-third of flocks (31.5 and 37.0 

percent, respectively) considered food source a very or 

extremely important reason for having chickens. 

Overall, 85.8 percent of flocks had table egg chicken 

breeds (e.g., Leghorn, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island 

Red) [figure 3]. About 2 of 10 flocks in Los Angeles and 

Miami (18.4 and 20.0 percent, respectively) sold or gave 

away eggs in the previous 12 months compared with 

about 5 of 10 flocks in Denver (49.3 percent) and about 

7 of 10 flocks in New York City (71.9 percent).

About 4 of 10 flocks in Los Angeles and Miami had 

meat chicken breeds (e.g., Cornish, Sex-links), while 

about 6 percent of flocks in Denver and New York City 

had meat breeds (figure 3). Very few flocks (8.0 percent) 

had slaughtered or sold chickens for human 

consumption during the previous 12 months. For flocks 

that did slaughter chickens for human consumption, 

home slaughter was the most common slaughter method 

used.

Summary

About one-half of urban-chicken owners were 

unsure about or unaware of a connection between 

poultry contact and Salmonella infection in people. As 

chickens become more popular in urban areas, it will be 

important to provide education to new chicken owners 

on the prevention of Salmonella from poultry and poultry 

food products. 

______________________________

For more information, contact:

USDA:APHIS:VS:CEAH

NRRC Building B, M.S. 2E7

2150 Centre Avenue 

Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117 

970.494.7000

Email: NAHMS@aphis.usda.gov

http://nahms.aphis.usda.gov

#605.0411
United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

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