COLUMBUS, Ohio – Experts are saying highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or bird flu, is one of the reasons for current high egg prices. The highly contagious outbreak strain, H5N1, emerged among poultry flocks and wild birds in Europe in the fall of 2020 before moving to the U.S., Africa, the Middle East and Asia. It has become the largest such outbreak in the U.S.

An outbreak of avian flu has drastically impacted egg production across the United States, with empty shelves reported in numerous stores in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and other states as well. This nationwide loss of chickens is one of the deadliest outbreaks of the disease in the country’s history with more than 50 million killed so far.

Preventive measures for the flu have proven difficult because the virus can spread through migrating birds that can make their way into poultry barns.

The majority of chickens impacted by disease were laying hens (chickens bred and raised specifically for commercial egg production) due to their longer lifespans. Broiler hens, which are raised for their meat, are typically slaughtered after just seven weeks on commercial farms and don’t live long enough to contract the disease.

With the loss of laying hens comes the shortage of eggs, and with the shortage comes a rise in the cost of a dozen eggs. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor data, a dozen eggs cost an average $4.15 compared to $1.78 a year ago. Some call this “eggflation” – in Kentucky egg prices have increased roughly 50 percent; in Tennessee, 60 percent; and Ohio, 62 percent.

Jeffrey Young, Murray State University assistant professor of agribusiness economics, said poultry farmers have their work cut for them when it comes to stopping the spread of disease, especially those who are not in a confined area.

“In order for egg prices to decrease the disease has to be controlled,” Young said. “Producers are doing everything in their power to do that. They’re culling any infected birds as necessary and reducing flock sizes as necessary to help slow the spread of the disease.”

Angela Magney, owner of Magney Legacy Ridge Farm in Princeton, Ky., said it’s hard to protect her chickens from avian flu because they live outside, though she says none of her birds have contracted avian flu. She has had to raise her prices by 50 cents because of the rise in feed prices.

“We are concerned but there is not much that we can do,” Magney said. “We have 65 birds that live outside. Any wild bird can come in and infect our birds but so far, we haven’t had any problems.”

University of Kentucky poultry specialist Jacquie Jacob said some Kentucky egg producers are switching things up. Some are shifting to cage-free methods, allowing chickens to have some free range and decreasing the likelihood of contracting diseases, and other are bringing their cage-free chickens inside. Other egg producers are even testing wild birds that come to the area to detect the disease before it can spread to their flock.

Jacob said even though producers are taking these precautions, no states have mandated them.

“Commercial producers have been keeping good biosecurity and have kept people and wild birds from coming in contact with the chickens,” Jacob said.

As of Jan. 6, the virus has affected more than 130 million poultry across 50 U.S. states since January 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Eggs are sold on markets as commodities, like corn and wheat, and wholesale prices for eggs are driven largely by supply and demand,” said Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board. “Our supply has been tight due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, which is devastating to egg farmers. In the U.S. we’ve lost more than 40 million laying hens in 2024 to bird flu.”

Metz points to the second reason for high price in eggs: Inflation.

“From farm to fridge, getting fresh eggs to the consumer requires a lot of logistics,” Metz said. “The cost of manufacturing and shipping products has increased all around, hitting the agricultural industry hard. With the prices of everything from gas to feed on the upswing, so too is the price of getting eggs on the shelves.”

And just when will these egg prices subside?

“No one can predict the future, but bird flu remains an ongoing threat to our egg farms, and egg farmers are working around the clock to protect their birds, replenish supply and keep those eggs coming,” Metz said. “On a positive note, farmers have a lot more experience fighting this disease now, meaning farmers are able to recover faster.”

Metz pointed out that the spread of this strain to cattle and other animals means the consumer may soon see a constrained supply of meat and dairy products, leading to higher prices in those categories as well.