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Egg Prices
Bird flue apparently is causing a shortage of eggs and prices are on the raise.
đOne has to ask: "How does that effect the butchered chicken meat from the hens laying those infected eggs??" 𤢠đ¤đĽđŁ If so, why isn't there a shortage of chickens and have the prices gone up? |
The butchered meat from hens killed to prevent the spread of bird flu is not sold to the public, for sure.
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Trying to talk my wife into buying some baby chicks and raise them to become egg layers.
Should be able to clean up as long as my wife agrees to do the cleaning. |
Laying hens and Broiler hens are two different industries. Broilers have a much shorter life cycle and are not bred in the same places as laying hens. Laying hens that reach the end of their ability to lay eggs profitably are butchered, but not for the meat you and I eat. Generally for feed and pet food
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General Tso's chicken will be a delicacy tomorrow.
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Not a problem, one does not eat the hen that lays the egg, only the chicken that crosses the road, in about 8 weeks.
The only time a hen became Sunday dinner was they were so mean, you killed them to save yourself. |
That is a good question! Regardless if a hen is raised for eggs or its meat, how can there be a shortage and disease of one and not the other?! And why are ducks and other birds not affected?
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I asked my smartest friend, Grok3. Here's what it said.
Bird flu, particularly the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strain H5N1, has indeed disrupted egg supplies in the U.S., leading to shortages and rising prices. However, its impact on butchered chicken meat availability and prices is less pronounced, and thereâs a straightforward explanation for this rooted in how the poultry industry operates. The key distinction lies in the two separate segments of the poultry industry: egg-laying hens (layers) and chickens raised for meat (broilers). These are different birds, bred and managed for distinct purposes. Layers are older hens optimized to produce eggs over a longer lifespan, typically starting at 18-20 weeks and remaining productive for a year or more. Broilers, on the other hand, are younger chickens raised specifically for meat, reaching slaughter weight in just 6-8 weeks. When bird flu strikes, it often hits layer flocks hardest because their longer lifecycles and dense housing in egg production facilities make them more vulnerable to outbreaks. Since 2022, over 157 million birds have been affected in the U.S., with a significant portion being egg-laying hensâover 20 million were culled in the last quarter of 2024 alone. This culling drastically reduces egg supply, driving up prices. But what happens to the meat from these culled laying hens? Generally, they donât enter the consumer meat market in large quantities. Laying hens are not bred for meat production; their bodies are leaner and less muscular than broilers, making them less desirable for butchering. When flocks test positive for bird flu, U.S. regulations require rapid cullingâoften within 24 hoursâto contain the virus. The carcasses are typically disposed of through methods like composting, incineration, or burial, not processed for human consumption. Even if some were butchered, the volume would be negligible compared to the broiler industry, which raises about 9.4 billion chickens annually for meat. Moreover, the USDAâs Food Safety and Inspection Service ensures that sick or infected birds donât enter the food supply, and cooking poultry to 165°F kills the virus anyway. Therefore, there's no significant influx of âinfected egg hen meatâ affecting the chicken meat market. Why isnât there a shortage of chicken meat then? Broiler production has been far less impacted by bird flu. USDA data shows that since February 2022, less than 0.0005% of U.S. broiler production has been affected. Broilersâ shorter growth cycle means farmers can replace culled flocks quicklyâwithin weeksâcompared to the months it takes to raise new layers and restore egg production. Plus, the industry maintains substantial reserves of frozen chicken in warehouses nationwide, buffering against supply shocks. This resilience explains why chicken meat shortages havenât materialized despite the bird flu crisis. As for prices, chicken meat costs have remained relatively stable compared to eggs. Egg prices soared from $2.17 per dozen in January 2022 to over $4 by late 2024âa 135%+ increaseâdue to the direct loss of layers. Chicken meat prices, however, havenât seen a comparable spike. Broiler supply disruptions have been minimal, and factors like feed costs, labor, and inflation have a bigger influence on meat prices than bird flu does. Studies from Poultry Science analyzing 2005-2023 data show that while poultry prices (including chicken meat) rise during outbreaks, the effect is less severe and shorter-lived for meat than for eggs. The frozen stockpile and rapid broiler replacement cycle keep supply steady, preventing the scarcity-driven price surge seen with eggs. To summarize, the bird flu isnât causing a chicken meat shortage or significant price hikes because broilers are a separate, less-affected population with a faster recovery time and a robust supply chain. The culled laying hens donât meaningfully contribute to the meat market, and strict safety measures ensure infected birds stay out of your grocery store. Youâre not eating âinfected egg hen meatââyouâre eating broilers, and thereâs still plenty of them to go around. |
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People assume they are the same chickens but theyâre not.
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Egg laying chickens are different
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Egg laying chickens are fed a disgusting special diet which makes them unsuitable for humans to eat. They are different birds than the chickens we eat. |
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Places like Kentucky fried chicken spec their chickens to be 2.25-2.75 lbs because they buy by the pound and sell by the piece. Maybe you have noticed the small pieces. |
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Bought a dozen extra large at Summerfield Walmart, yesterday......$6.12 !!!
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AI doesn't really do math, it just strings together words that sound correct and seem to answer the question. The three facts ($2.17, 135%+, over $4) are individually correct and even the sentence combining all three is technically correct but there was no math involved. |
Iâve asked the same thing. Why arenât roosters getting avian flu? đ§
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Bird flu is also not only in the U.S., which makes me wonder how much eggs would cost if imported. In 2022 when I was in London, the ravens were kept in their pens with tarps over the tops, in an effort to keep wild bird feces from infecting the flock |
Good question and good explanations. Thanks!
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Egg prices
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Actually bird flu eggs are safe to eat if cooked. About the only way you would contract bird flu from an infected bird is if it flew in your mouth or you ingested an infected birds droppings.
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If you are asking why the price of chicken hasn't gone up, that answer can be found a few times in the previous posts. |
Biden ordered billions of chickens to be killed!
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But the prices were gonna go down day #1?
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The government plans to address the problem by increasing imports of eggs from foreign countries. Our largest foreign source of eggs is Canada. I'm sure that Canada is eager to bend over backwards to accommodate us.
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Chicken Breast in NC
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As of today 3/4/25 egg prices will be the least of your worries.
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Long life question which came first the chicken or egg? Less laying chickens results in less eggs. I wills be surprised if bird flu not man made failure and another plague for mankind. Seems like biological/chemical warfare does more harm when there no wars?
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Poultry farm Biosecurity
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The Broilers are housed in what is essentually a P3 Lab like facility (they call it 'Biosecurity'). Workers 'scrub' in (shower and change clothes)and wear containment outerwear. May be required to do the same leaving. HEPA filtration is used. A poultry farm near us up north has their access roads marked and blocked with cones to prevent unauthorized access. Genetics plays a part. Quote:
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UNLESS, NC is a major producer of chickens and production was affected by the hurricane last year. That might have eliminated an artificially-low price. |
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