# The avian flu is hammering U.S. poultry farmers, leaving experts to ask: What has changed?

> Nearly 58 million commercial and backyard birds in the US have been culled since February 2022, according to USDA APHIS, making it the worst avian influenza outbreak on record. More than 40 million egg-laying hens have been lost, and egg prices have risen sharply amid the shortage.

- Date: 2023-01-18 · published 2023-01-18T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16219-the-avian-flu-is-hammering-u-s-poultry-farmers-leaving-experts-to-ask-what-has
- Commodities: [Chicken](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CHICKEN.md)

## Why it matters

The loss of laying hens reduces egg supply and pushes up egg prices, which can shift consumer demand toward chicken meat. Continued wild-bird spread makes further culls and supply tightness likely.

## Read by commodity

- CHICKEN: bullish ▲

## Sources

- nbcnews.com: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna66273
- nbcnews.com: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/avian-bird-flu-egg-prices-rcna66273

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.