Experts say U.S. chicken meat supplies remain stable despite ongoing egg shortages caused by bird flu. Egg-laying hens, not broiler chickens raised for meat, have been severely impacted by the disease, according to agriculture specialists Will Strickland and Matt Sutton-Vermeulen. Egg-laying facilities house millions of birds, making flu outbreaks far more devastating to egg production than to chicken meat.
However, consumers seeking alternatives to costly eggs might cause short-term price spikes in other proteins like chicken, tuna, and pork, said John Clear of Alvarez & Marsal. This demand shift could create temporary stock shortages similar to the “bullwhip effect” seen with toilet paper during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The food service sector is expected to face prolonged struggles with rising egg prices due to fixed contracts. Restaurants may add surcharges to compensate.
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