
Learn why egg prices have been surging
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I'm not buying that this is avian flu related. I think the avian flu outbreak really did happen a few years ago, and now these egg producers realize they can use the excuse every spring to gouge prices. Only egg prices have gone up, but not chicken meat? I know the explanation in the article is that they don't have to keep the meat chickens around for as long, but what does that matter? If a flu hits, it would just kill everything, right? It's not like human flus go around like "ah nuts, no, let's leave the young 'uns alone and only go for mature adults." If the avian flu is a current thing, why does it matter how long meat birds are around compared with egg birds? And while factory farm animals are more susceptible to disease if it gets in, how is it getting in if they never go outside? People might carry it in, sure, but I've heard that migratory birds are the main cause of the spread. In that case, why are only birds who are kept indoors all day every day getting sick and not chickens everywhere, including peoples' personal farms?
Maybe it's nothing but I don't trust anything anymore and an alarming number of "conspiracy theories" have turned out to be true. I don't think this particular one is so wild a theory.
Yes follow the money...."bird flu" how come only chickens are supposedly getting it? No turkeys or any other bird species? Sorry I don't believe anything they tell us.....
I agree with you. Cornish cross meat birds are made from 2 specific breeds of chickens. Those egg laying hens can’t have been spared just because they lay Cornish cross chicks.
Why hasn't COVID & Avian Flu impacted chicken meat to the same degree?
From the article:
"Laying hens were hit especially hard, while broiler facilities generally lost fewer birds, mostly because they don’t have to maintain as many birds for as long to produce their product; this is why chicken meat prices haven’t kept pace with egg prices."
As Robert Delzer and OL commented, I agree that egg producers have taken advantage of the avian flu situation to increase profits. High fuel prices has not helped the situation either. Farmers need fuel to run the machinery that produces the grain that produces the chickens food. The trucks that deliver all of our goods also need fuel. It's a vicious cycle.
My husband and I don't eat enough eggs to justify the expense of raising our own flock, but if we did, we would definitely have chickens.
My White-faced Black Spanish hens provide me with plenty of fresh eggs. After saying that let me add that feed has gotten outrageous. But I think it’s still cheaper and makes a more enjoyable life to raise chickens and gather your own eggs.
They crowd thousands of hens into each of these massive egg manufacturing warehouses, with very little indoor caged space in which to move about, with prolonged artificial light, then wonder why disease spreads so easily.
There were 7 major fires on poultry farms with a loss of over half a million fowl. Do you think that might have something to do with the price of eggs?
From a report that I read less than 2% of the total flock died from the outbreak. Nowhere near enough to cause the spike in prices. Was it more of a case of someone taking advantage of the situation? I think so. Make the money while you can.
Don't forget to factor in outrageous gas and diesel prices this drives up the cost of feeding the hens that are out there. I have seen a major increase on scratch, corn and any other food items for our tiny flock. the egg producers have this increase too