About 40 million egg-laying hens were lost to avian flu disruptions <Link> in 2022 and the layer population won’t recover overnight. The growth in popularity of backyard flocks may continue to grow as consumers seek to reduce the costs of eggs.
Egg prices at the grocery store were elevated throughout 2022 due to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) among egg-laying hens. – USDA economists, Link.
We’re sharing an incubator reference guide to share with those who choose to hatch their own birds.
Source: Backyard Poultry, January 6, 2023. Link.
Also see: Bird flu the cause of high egg prices, says USDA, Successful Farming, January 12, 2023. Link.