Still, a lack of eggs and steep prices may lead consumers to move to other cheap forms of protein, which could lead to consumer-induced shortages and price increases, one expert told USA TODAY. Egg-laying hens and broiler chickens – poultry raised for meat – are different,

The average price for a dozen eggs in the U.S. has jumped 50% in the past year and the cost increase appears to have accelerated since November.

There’s no sunny side to the rising cost of eggs. A bird flu outbreak has forced farmers to lose millions of hens since December, putting a crack in the egg supply.

The ongoing bird flu outbreak has continued to affect multiple industries in the Richmond area and other parts of the U.S., including farms and restaurants.

CNN’s Nick Watt gets a firsthand look at how eggs are being rationed during a visit to Hilliker’s Ranch in Lakeside, CA. He explains why this is happening and who is to blame for the surge.

Six cases of bird flu have been reported in Maryland, as of Feb. 2, according to the Department of Agriculture (MDA).