Demand for chicks that will grow into egg-laying hens has jumped since the start of the pandemic and has continued to ramp up because of egg price spikes, reports The New York Times.
“Everybody wants the heavy layers,” Ginger Stevenson, director of marketing at Murray McMurray Hatchery in Iowa, told the newspaper. The company has been running low on chick breeds that tend to produce more eggs.
Hatcheries from across the U.S. are reporting robust demand this year, and attributing it to high grocery prices including that of eggs, which in December cost almost 60 percent more than the year before. The increased costs at retail are due to the bird flu that has been found in nearly every state and has led to the death of tens of millions of egg-laying hens as well as increases in the prices of grain supplies, fuel, fertilizer, and animal feed.
The price increases have also spilled into other categories that depend on the ingredient, including mayonnaise and baked goods, according to The New York Times.
“It’s those egg prices. People are really concerned about food security,” said Meghan Howard, sales and marketing operator for Meyer Hatchery in Ohio.
However, the demand for chicks has led to their shortage, and hatcheries often lack the labor force to hatch more chicks and meet the surge.
“Demand is up, but we’ve not expanded for the last three years because we don’t have the workforce,” said Jeff Smith, one of the owners of Cackle Hatchery in Missouri. He also noted that he’s had to charge between 15-18 percent more at retail. Full Story (Subscription Required)
Related: ICYMI: January’s Top Stories; Worst Avian Flu Outbreak Ravages U.S.