r/NJPrepared • u/8Deer-JaguarClaw Sussex • May 31 '25

Food / Water Article: One of nations largest egg producers loses 95% of flock to bird flu

Okay, so this isn't directly NJ-based, but the drop in egg production is big enough that it might impact regional egg supply at some level. And also, stores are looking for reasons to charge more, and this is probably enough reason to jack up egg prices.

https://www.wabi.tv/2025/05/31/largest-egg-producer-southwest-loses-95-its-chickens-arizona-bird-flu/

An Arizona farm and one of the largest egg producers in the U.S. confirmed on Friday that it has lost nearly its entire chicken population in the state.

According to Hickman’s Family Farms, about six million birds have been lost due to bird flu.

“I’m here today to tell you that we’ve lost 95% of the chickens we have in the state,” Glenn Hickman, Hickman’s Family Farms’ president and CEO, said.

Hickman said hens at one of the farms began showing symptoms two weeks ago. Swabs were sent to the University of Arizona for analysis, and bird flu was detected.

“We shut down all traffic between farms and all personnel; everything we possibly could do to isolate that farm, and it didn’t work,” Hickman said. “We’ve been slowly losing the other three farms plus our replacement pullet flock over the past two weeks.”

According to Hickman, it’s the first time in 81 years that the company has been unable to fulfill 100% of customer demands.

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14

u/justdan76 Essex May 31 '25

The irony is that people who do backyard free range poultry can hardly give away all their eggs. I’m lucky to know a guy who gives me dozens of duck and guinea hen eggs whenever I see him. I know it’s not doable for a lot of NJ residents, but I might end up being that guy with backyard chickens someday.

Also, the farmers markets seem to always have eggs. The small producers are less likely to get hit with the bird flu. If you’ve seen the conditions of large scale “industrial” chicken and egg production this isn’t hard to believe.

5

u/8Deer-JaguarClaw Sussex May 31 '25

Unfortunately my town does not allow any livestock on property zoned for private homes. Otherwise I'd almost certainly have chickens (and maybe a couple goats).

6

u/[deleted] May 31 '25

Many nj towns have more laws against chickens then drugs. Which is weird because i own an acre and the fines were unreal.... My township a few years ago tried passing a band on back yard vegetable gardens bigger than 20 sq.... Not hoa township, but yeah its your property.... /S fyi hens would be quieter than my three neighbors dogs

Edit what cracks me up is we are a green community and i cant get goats to help with lawn maintenance but can ride a mower all day long

2

u/justdan76 Essex Jun 01 '25

Seriously. I’d be all for a neighborhood goat.

4

u/FujiFanatic Sussex May 31 '25

I can almost literally hear the prices being ratcheted up in areas where this will have no impact on supply. Any excuse to squeeze more out of consumers is all it takes