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In 2025 alone, more than 20 million commercial table egg-laying hens have been lost due to High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). This has tightened egg supply and driven prices higher.
To help offset shortages, some have proposed redirecting surplus broiler hatchery eggs into the egg products market. This could free up more traditional shell eggs for fresh sale, potentially easing price spikes.
Broiler hatcheries occasionally produce more hatching eggs than they can set. These surplus eggs are typically used for animal feed or discarded. According to the National Chicken Council, nearly 400 million broiler eggs could be redirected into the egg supply annually. While total U.S. table egg production exceeded 93 billion eggs in 2024, this surplus would add approximately 33.6 million eggs per month—about 0.4% of the monthly total.
While a small fraction of overall supply, this shift could provide some relief in a tight market.