# Explainer: How bird flu has sent US eggs prices skyrocketing | Reuters

> Reuters explains how H5N1 bird flu has pushed US egg prices to records. About 19.5 million laying hens were killed in January, the most in any month since March 2022. The average retail price for a dozen eggs reached a record $4.95 in January, up 96% year on year.

- Date: 2025-02-21 · published 2025-02-21T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/26058-explainer-how-bird-flu-has-sent-us-eggs-prices-skyrocketing-reuters
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybean Meal](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SBM.md)

## Why it matters

Losses of laying hens tighten egg supply and keep wholesale prices high, while fewer layers reduce demand for feed grain and meal. The disease outbreak remains the main driver of price direction.

## Read by commodity

- SBM: bearish ▼
- CORN: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2025-02-21 | [Farmers say bird flu a 'crisis' as egg prices soar](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26061-farmers-say-bird-flu-a-crisis-as-egg-prices-soar.md) | -6.8% | -1.6% |
| CORN | 2024-08-17 | [Egg prices are rising once again as bird flu limits supply](https://feedsoft.ai/events/28789-egg-prices-are-rising-once-again-as-bird-flu-limits-supply.md) | -0.7% | +4.1% |
| CORN | 2022-05-23 | [How a US Bird Flu Outbreak Is Making Eggs More Expensive - Bloomberg](https://feedsoft.ai/events/41404-how-a-us-bird-flu-outbreak-is-making-eggs-more-expensive-bloomberg.md) | +0.0% | -1.2% |
| CORN | 2025-02-02 | [Egg prices have soared as farmers contend with bird flu outbreak](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26065-egg-prices-have-soared-as-farmers-contend-with-bird-flu-outbreak.md) | +0.6% | -3.9% |
| CORN | 2021-01-11 | [Bird flu triggers fresh fears, prices of chicken, eggs crash \| India News - The Indian Express](https://feedsoft.ai/events/49145-bird-flu-triggers-fresh-fears-prices-of-chicken-eggs-crash-india-news-the.md) | +6.3% | +12.8% |
| SBM | 2025-02-21 | [Farmers say bird flu a 'crisis' as egg prices soar](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26061-farmers-say-bird-flu-a-crisis-as-egg-prices-soar.md) | -1.7% | +0.5% |
| SBM | 2024-08-17 | [Egg prices are rising once again as bird flu limits supply](https://feedsoft.ai/events/28789-egg-prices-are-rising-once-again-as-bird-flu-limits-supply.md) | +0.8% | +3.9% |
| SBM | 2025-05-16 | [Explainer: What is bird flu, and why is Brazil's first case on a commercial farm concerning? \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/15999-explainer-what-is-bird-flu-and-why-is-brazil-s-first-case-on-a-commercial-farm.md) | +0.2% | -0.8% |

## Sources

- reuters.com: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/how-bird-flu-has-sent-us-eggs-prices-skyrocketing-2025-02-21/

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