According to the National Ag Statistics Service weekly broiler report for Oklahoma and Texas eggs placed in incubator numbers are down. Oklahoma’s number of chicks placed for meat production was up 24% from the previous week and up 34% from a year ago.  While Texas’s number of chicks in meat production was down only slightly from last weekend and a year ago.

The report reflects the recent sharp rise in consumer egg prices, with producers struggling to keep up with demand. The price increase is blamed by most experts on the outbreak of bird flu. The virus has led to the deaths of more than 57 million birds in 47 states and more than 43 million egg-laying hens. This surpasses the 2015 avian influenza outbreak, according to the USDA. Higher production costs for farmers have also played a big part in the increase as well.

Bird Flu is not a foodborne illness, so poultry and eggs in grocery stores are safe to eat.