Image by Wolfgang Eckert from Pixabay
Bird flu is a serious issue for the egg farm industry. A problem that can seriously impact the nation’s egg supply. Which can lead to egg shortages and a bigger price tag at the checkout line.
Rose Acre Farms, the second largest egg producer in the country, indicated that tests have confirmed avian flu at its Seymour, Indiana facility.
In addition to this news, additional cases in other mammal species have been reported.
Even one surprising species!
How does this result impact the egg farm industry and potential supply. What does additional species mean for human health risk?
Follow along for this, and more!
Confirmatory tests have been received at Rose Acres egg farm indicating the presence of avian influenza in layer population.
A tragedy with rippling effects across the country.
When the farm discovered “mortality in the layers” on January 25, they promptly sent samples for testing. The egg farm housing 2.8 million birds was notified by the Indiana Board of Animal Health on January 26, 2025 that the virus was, indeed, detected.
Rose Acre Farms says that they are tightening its already rigorous biosecurity measures and working with state officials to continue monitoring this and other facilities operated by the farm.
In addition to the major commercial egg farm detecting bird flu, another backyard poultry flock tested positive.
A backyard flock in New York’s Ulster County has been impacted. A discovery that has other backyard flock owners nervous.
Additionally, a recent update on wild birds indicated an additional 90 confirmations across several states. Wild snow geese, raptors, ducks, and waterfowl were identified with the virus.
A huge concern, as the wild bird population appears to be a major vehicle for backyard flock outbreaks.
Chickens are not the only species susceptible to bird flu.
Not only has bird flu caused serious interruption and casualties in the egg farm industry, the dairy industry continues to be impacted.
In fact, APHIS recently added five more confirmed cases of dairy cows from California to the growing list. A list that totals 732 for the state of California and 949 for the nation.
The concern for this continues to rise as raw milk remains a growing commodity.
We’ve also heard about the recent detections in both domestic and wild cats. At least four more domestic cats have been added to the list. Two red foxes (one in Delaware and one in Pennsylvania) have been confirmed. As has an Eastern gray squirrel in New York.
The most surprising development has been the detection of bird flu in two bottlenose dolphins out of Florida.
The viral mutations observed in this bird flu has been successful at reaching additional mammalian hosts. But dolphins has been a huge surprise. These dolphin were likely exposed to infected aquatic birds.
According to reports, at least 13 million birds have been lost at layer farms across the country. An impact that you have likely seen at the grocery store.
As opposed to broiler farms, where chickens reach maturity and are processed in less than two months. Layer farms have a slower growth. Often taking five months to mature to the point they lay medium sized eggs. It takes a bit more time for them to predictably produce larger eggs for the commercial market.
When bird flu is discovered at egg farms as opposed to broiler farms, production is stalled for months.
Fewer egg farms producing eggs means egg shortages. Egg shortages increase the price you see at the grocery store. This makes for a lose-lose situation for everyone.
The next logical question people ask is whether or not people can get bird flu from chicken eggs.
With the types of illnesses and infection vectors seeming to change quite regularly, this is a serious concern.
Not a lot of information is available on this subject. However, the virus has been found in raw milk. So, it isn’t a leap to consider that bird flu may make it into the eggs of infected chickens. For now, though, there isn’t any evidence of people becoming sick with bird flu after consuming eggs.
But it is best to err on the side of caution.
Always fully cook eggs and poultry to ensure any potential pathogen (bacteria, virus, or parasite) is killed or inactivated.
Another big question on many peoples’ minds is, “what does bird flu look like in people?”
In dairy cows, bird flu looks like decreased milk production.
In chickens, bird flu comes on as a highly pathogenic respiratory illness.
But in people it looks a bit different.
Initial variants of bird flu in people produced conjunctivitis (or pink eye) as the most common symptom. Along with a feeling of being very tired or “drained.”
This was most common in exposure to poultry farms, where workers are exposed to aerosolized particles and dust.
More recent variants of the bird flu virus have presented as flu-like symptoms. Fever, cough, sore throat. Things like that.
Researchers have been working to better understand how bird flu can impact people.
Does bird flu make its way into raw milk?
It actually does.
Does bird flu make its way into raw chicken eggs?
So far, it doesn’t appear so. But this is the subject on ongoing research.
How concerned are you about bird flu in chicken eggs?
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “Rose Acre Farms, the Nation’s Second Largest Egg Farm Recently Hit by Bird Flu,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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