Indiana’s egg producers struggle ‘to get birds back’ after avian flu

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — High demand and low supply due to last year’s avian flu outbreak is causing egg prices to increase dramatically.

A dozen eggs costs $4.19 in some places and as much as $7.49 depending on the brand.

“I bake, so you have to use eggs when you bake,” said Danyel Griffin of Indianapolis.

Griffin loves to bake and her favorite dish requires eggs.

“Salmon croquettes, they’re mended together, you put your eggs in there,” Griffin said.

Although most of Indiana’s egg-laying birds have been spared from the deadly outbreak of avian flu, nationwide, the hen population is down by 6%.

“Indiana is second in the nation in egg production, so we do produce a lot of eggs right here in Indiana, we’re pretty close to our supply; however, we distribute eggs across the country and across the world,” said Rebecca Joniskan, president of the Indiana Poultry Association.

When prices will drop is unclear as the hen population gets back to full strength.

“From chick to productive egg-laying hen is about 24 to 30 weeks, so when you have a disruption as we’ve seen with avian influenza, it takes us a long time to get those birds back into production,” Joniskan said.

Feed, fertilizer and transportation costs are also contributing to the price increase.

Egg-based products including mayonnaise and cookie batter are also more expensive.

If you are dining out, expect dishes made with eggs to cost more, too.