If you’re a backyard chicken owner (and even if you’re not), you’ve likely heard about Avian Influenza (AI). Commonly referred to as bird flu, it’s a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic poultry,

Anxieties are high as experts warn the avian flu outbreak could worsen in the spring, but egg prices are spurring more newcomers to start backyard flocks.

If you’ve scrolled through the news in the past few weeks, you’ve probably been flooded with headlines about bird flu. The viral infection is the reason behind a mass culling of cows and poultry across the United States—and why egg prices are skyrocketing.