Hundreds of cars lined a busy California road, waiting to buy fresh eggs — once an affordable, everyday ingredient and meal, the poultry product has become scarce.
In addition to the long lines, the nationwide egg shortage has also led to soaring prices as consumers scramble to find fresh eggs.
Since 2022, H5N1 — a highly contagious strain of bird flu — has infected 153 million birds across 48 states, forcing the culling of millions more to contain the outbreak.
In just the last quarter of 2024, over 20 million egg-laying hens in the U.S. were lost to the virus, driving egg prices up 9 percent in January compared to the previous year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In the last four weeks alone, prices have been up 15 percent. And while the average cost for a dozen eggs in the U.S. reached a new high of $4.95, in California, some shoppers have been forced pay up to $10.
‘The reason for the egg shortage is very clear. Birds are getting this flu and they have to be culled as quickly as possible,’ Sanjay Sharma, an adjunct professor of finance and business economics at USC’s Marshall School of Business, told the LA Times.
He noted that in some cases, entire flocks must be euthanized to prevent the spread of the disease.
California has been hit particularly hard, as 40 percent of its eggs are produced within the state.
The nationwide egg shortage, driven by a severe avian flu outbreak that has killed over 21 million chickens, has caused prices to soar and led to long lines at local farms
In California, where 40 percent of eggs are produced locally, prices are especially high, prompting grocery stores like Trader Joe’s and Kroger to impose purchase limits
‘Everybody likes fresh eggs, so we typically eat the eggs we produce,’ said Sharma. ‘Right now, that’s presenting a problem.’
As demand surges, some grocery chains, including Trader Joe’s and Kroger, have implemented purchase limits to prevent bulk buying.
However, these restrictions may be fueling consumer panic, similar to the hoarding seen with toilet paper during the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘Whenever there’s a shortage, people start to hoard,’ said Sharma. ‘It’s a human instinct, but it’s a self-defeating cycle. It’s absolutely better for everybody if people don’t hoard.’
Egg shortages have created unprecedented demand for local California farms.
Billy’s Egg Farm in Chino, California, a family-owned business operating for 32 years, has seen massive lines of customers eager to buy organic eggs.
Hundreds of cars have lined up daily outside the farm, with stock typically selling out by 11 a.m. Aerial footage shows vehicles inching forward to a drive-thru window, where they make their purchases.
The farm’s Instagram account has been reposting videos from grateful customers, many patiently waiting in line.
Billy’s Egg Farm in Chino has seen massive customer demand, with hundreds of cars lining up daily to buy fresh eggs, often selling out by 11 am
Experts warn that hoarding worsens the issue, likening it to the Covid-19 toilet paper panic
Maust’s California Poultry, located in Chino, is also bracing for unusually long lines and an overcrowded parking lot.
‘So many farms have to euthanize so many birds, and because of the shortage, there’s just no eggs, supply and demand comes into play, and that’s where you see these high prices,’ Paul Maust with Maust’s California Poultry told ABC 7.
Meanwhile, some farmers are encouraging people to consider raising their own chickens.
Michelle Heath, a lifelong farmer in Collinsville, Oklahoma, says it’s a way to take control of food security.
‘Our food system is very fragile at times,’ Heath told DailyMail.com. ‘Currently, in Oklahoma, you’re looking sometimes at $8 a dozen, and people who are on fixed incomes, or people who have to choose between eggs and bread.’
She also pointed out the stark difference in quality between eggs from your own chickens and store-bought eggs.
‘If you look at how mass produced eggs are raised, you would never eat another egg that came from the store like that,’ said Heath. ‘Those eggs are bleached, they’re three to six months old.’
Heath and her family raise 45 to 50 chickens, not just for themselves but to help neighbors and their church community.
Other local farms, like Maust’s California Poultry, are also struggling to keep up
While egg prices may eventually stabilize once the chicken population recovers, experts say the timeline depends on controlling the avian flu outbreak
‘We don’t need 45 chickens, but to provide for ourselves, our neighbors and our friends and family that’s what we have to do, and we’ll continue to do it.’
However, raising chickens isn’t a quick fix.
‘It takes six to eight months for a chicken to lay an egg,’ cautioned Heath. ‘You won’t get eggs until August.’
Farmers like Billy Mouw at Billy’s Egg Farm are also feeling the strain.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, he said that the shortage has made it harder to find baby chicks, which has increased costs: ‘The egg shortage has affected us in a few ways…One being it’s harder to find baby chickens.’
However, he stands by the quality of his eggs, stating their ‘freshness and quality’ make the price worth it.
Despite uncertainty in the market, experts say egg prices will eventually stabilize once the chicken population recovers and production returns to normal.
However, that timeline depends on controlling the spread of avian flu and the ability of farmers to rebuild their flocks.
‘If the next flock is infected as well, then we need a real systemic solution,’ Sharma told the LA Times. ‘I don’t think that there is one out there.’
For now, experts urge consumers to remain patient and avoid panic-buying.
‘Egg prices are at an all-time high and people get quite nervous,’ Dominick Miserandino, chief executive of RetailWire, told the LA Times. ‘The simple advice would be, don’t panic and do the research.’
