The East Coast is bracing for migratory treks of waterfowl that could put numerous states with poultry farms and backyard chicken operations at risk of a bird flu outbreak.

Michael Darre, extension poultry specialist for Connecticut and New England, is emailing as many as 1,000 small-flock owners in Connecticut about the flu and advising of biosecurity measures.

He said names are from records of vaccinations required of chickens taken to poultry shows, show birds transported to fairs and other destinations.

States are sharing information, and Pennsylvania agriculture officials urged poultry producers to adopt biosecurity measures.

Since December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed several cases of avian influenza in the Pacific, Central and Mississippi flyways. The disease has been found in wild birds and in a few backyard and commercial poultry flocks.

(AP)