U.S. egg industry sees record chicken deaths from bird flu outbreak

More than 20 million egg-laying chickens in the U.S. died last quarter because of bird flu, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows, marking the worst toll inflicted on America's egg supply since the outbreak began. 

The record number of chicken deaths come as figures show egg prices have soared to the highest they have been in years, driven in large part by the virus.

"Unlike in past years, in 2024, all major production systems experienced significant losses including conventional caged, cage-free, and certified organic types," a USDA report said this month.