The comprehensive characterization of antiviral immune pathways is essential for understanding host-pathogen mechanisms to underpin improved molecular therapies for both human and livestock use. The interferon pathway impacts the expression of a myriad of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) that impact viral replication and infection. One of these, Interferon-Induced protein with Tetratricopeptide (IFIT) repeats 5 (IFIT5), has been shown to be important in the antiviral response in mammals. In this study we identify and characterize chicken IFIT5. This gene shows synteny with the human IFIT genes and encodes a 470 amino acid (AA) protein with strong conservation to mammalian IFITs. IFIT5 expression was induced in chicken splenocytes stimulated with type I interferon or TLR ligand ex vivo. In vivo experiments demonstrated a 400-fold increase in IFIT5 expression in the lungs of chickens following infection with a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. These data highlight the conserved role of IFIT5 in the response to viral infection and provide information on the chicken immune response to highly pathogenic avian influenza.