Strategies Amid High Egg Prices
Mar 17, 2025
How long will eggs last in the refrigerator? What are the best ways to preserve eggs? Should I start a backyard chicken flock to save on eggs? When will the prices of eggs go down?
Questions like these have been frequent for researchers and faculty at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture as egg prices continue to rise during the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak.
Tom Tabler, professor and Extension poultry specialist in the Department of Animal Science, has written several publications related to the outbreak and the impact on the poultry industry. One question he has been asked frequently is whether it would be a good investment to start a flock of backyard chickens to offset the high cost of eggs. The short answer is no, if saving money is the goal.
“Backyard chickens are not the budget-saving salvation to high egg prices that they may seem now. Eggs may be expensive, but backyard chickens are even more expensive, difficult to care for, and a high-maintenance investment,” Tabler said.
Tabler and his colleagues from Tennessee State University, Mississippi State University and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture authored the publication, “Backyard Chickens Are Not the Answer to High Egg Prices,” to help dispel myths about backyard chickens offsetting the cost of eggs. They list several reasons to not have backyard chickens for this purpose:
“You want to get backyard chickens for the joy and pleasure they can provide you and your family (for a price), not for the disappointment when they turn out to be more work than you expected and cost more money than you had planned. If high egg prices are your only reason for considering backyard chickens, then reconsider now, before it’s too late,” he said.
One of the reasons Tabler said egg prices have gone up is because it takes about six months to raise table egg layers (chickens that lay eggs to be sold in grocery stores or at farmers markets). If a bird in a commercial flock tests positive for HPAI, U.S. Department of Agriculture policy requires that every bird in the complex be euthanized to keep the disease from spreading. That means lost hens must be replaced in order to start laying eggs again. It takes three weeks for a fertile hen egg to hatch into a baby chick. Then it takes about 20 to 22 weeks for the chick to become sexually mature to begin laying eggs. It takes a few weeks after that for the hen to begin laying Grade A large eggs. For example, table egg layers lost in January 2025 would not be replaced until July or August 2025 or longer.
There are currently about 300 million table egg layers in the United States, down from about a normal level of 400 million. Once an egg is laid at a commercial facility, it takes one to five days to reach the grocery store, Tabler said. Buying eggs from a farmers’ market or from a friend with backyard chickens should be safe so long as proper handling and cooking practices are followed. This includes cooking eggs to an internal temperature of 165 F until the yolks and whites are firm. “Hens with avian influenza die very quickly, within a day or two of contracting the disease, and eggs from infected hens are not normal shape. They have wrinkled shells, or the shells are flat on one side or some other deformity that indicates something is wrong,” he said.
As mentioned in the publication, “Biosecurity Is Critical to Prevent Avian Influenza,” Tabler explains that the virus is spread by sick chickens to healthy chickens and transmitted through human interaction, contaminated feed and water, shared equipment, rodents and pets and wild birds, especially waterfowl. He recommends commercial and backyard growers adhere to biosecurity measures, including not having wild bird feeders or anything to attract ducks and geese.
The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences provides a wide range of helpful tips for healthy cooking, grocery shopping and meal planning. Kristin Riggsbee, assistant professor and nutrition and food safety specialist in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, has authored the publication, “Eggs Uncovered: Storage Tips, Smart Savings and the Best Alternatives,” to provide research-based advice for consumers.
Fortunately for consumers, shell eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for three to five weeks. Riggsbee, who is also a registered dietitian nutritionist and a licensed dietitian nutritionist, recommends consumers purchase eggs before the “Sell By” date printed on the carton. She said eggs should be stored in a refrigerator below 40 degrees in their carton and in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not in the door or in an egg holder.
Other preservation methods like water bath canning or pressure canning are not safe for eggs. “Caution is advised with practices like ‘water glassing,’ which may pose safety risks,” Riggsbee said. “This is the practice of adding pickling lime to eggs in a jar to make the food shelf stable; it was a common practice for families to stretch farm eggs during times when hens were not laying as frequently. However, this preservation practice is potentially unsafe and harmful for human consumption due to the potential contamination in the jar with salmonella.”
In the publication, Riggsbee also explains the health benefits of eggs and egg products and various terms like organic and cage-free that can be confusing to consumers and shows how to use fewer eggs or other products as alternatives. “Substituting eggs in baked goods can be tricky because you must consider the proportions of fats, proteins and moisture in the alternative ingredients,” she said. Some alternatives include applesauce, yogurt, banana, carbonated water, flaxseed and a combination of water, oil and baking powder.
For more information, access these UT Extension publications:
D 250: Backyard Chickens Are Not the Answer to High Egg Prices
D 249: Avian Influenza Likely to Send High Egg Prices Even Higher Throughout 2025
D 251: Eggs Uncovered: Storage Tips, Smart Savings and the Best Alternatives
D 236: Biosecurity Is Critical to Prevent Avian Influenza
Questions like these have been frequent for researchers and faculty at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture as egg prices continue to rise during the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak.
Tom Tabler, professor and Extension poultry specialist in the Department of Animal Science, has written several publications related to the outbreak and the impact on the poultry industry. One question he has been asked frequently is whether it would be a good investment to start a flock of backyard chickens to offset the high cost of eggs. The short answer is no, if saving money is the goal.
“Backyard chickens are not the budget-saving salvation to high egg prices that they may seem now. Eggs may be expensive, but backyard chickens are even more expensive, difficult to care for, and a high-maintenance investment,” Tabler said.
Tabler and his colleagues from Tennessee State University, Mississippi State University and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture authored the publication, “Backyard Chickens Are Not the Answer to High Egg Prices,” to help dispel myths about backyard chickens offsetting the cost of eggs. They list several reasons to not have backyard chickens for this purpose:
- Chickens are expensive (including birds, feed, coop, outside run, accessories like feeders and drinkers)
- Chickens require constant care and protection.
- Chickens may not be allowed where you live.
- Caring for chickens is a steep learning curve if you have no experience.
- Biosecurity is essential to keeping chickens healthy.
“You want to get backyard chickens for the joy and pleasure they can provide you and your family (for a price), not for the disappointment when they turn out to be more work than you expected and cost more money than you had planned. If high egg prices are your only reason for considering backyard chickens, then reconsider now, before it’s too late,” he said.
One of the reasons Tabler said egg prices have gone up is because it takes about six months to raise table egg layers (chickens that lay eggs to be sold in grocery stores or at farmers markets). If a bird in a commercial flock tests positive for HPAI, U.S. Department of Agriculture policy requires that every bird in the complex be euthanized to keep the disease from spreading. That means lost hens must be replaced in order to start laying eggs again. It takes three weeks for a fertile hen egg to hatch into a baby chick. Then it takes about 20 to 22 weeks for the chick to become sexually mature to begin laying eggs. It takes a few weeks after that for the hen to begin laying Grade A large eggs. For example, table egg layers lost in January 2025 would not be replaced until July or August 2025 or longer.
There are currently about 300 million table egg layers in the United States, down from about a normal level of 400 million. Once an egg is laid at a commercial facility, it takes one to five days to reach the grocery store, Tabler said. Buying eggs from a farmers’ market or from a friend with backyard chickens should be safe so long as proper handling and cooking practices are followed. This includes cooking eggs to an internal temperature of 165 F until the yolks and whites are firm. “Hens with avian influenza die very quickly, within a day or two of contracting the disease, and eggs from infected hens are not normal shape. They have wrinkled shells, or the shells are flat on one side or some other deformity that indicates something is wrong,” he said.
As mentioned in the publication, “Biosecurity Is Critical to Prevent Avian Influenza,” Tabler explains that the virus is spread by sick chickens to healthy chickens and transmitted through human interaction, contaminated feed and water, shared equipment, rodents and pets and wild birds, especially waterfowl. He recommends commercial and backyard growers adhere to biosecurity measures, including not having wild bird feeders or anything to attract ducks and geese.
The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences provides a wide range of helpful tips for healthy cooking, grocery shopping and meal planning. Kristin Riggsbee, assistant professor and nutrition and food safety specialist in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, has authored the publication, “Eggs Uncovered: Storage Tips, Smart Savings and the Best Alternatives,” to provide research-based advice for consumers.
Fortunately for consumers, shell eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for three to five weeks. Riggsbee, who is also a registered dietitian nutritionist and a licensed dietitian nutritionist, recommends consumers purchase eggs before the “Sell By” date printed on the carton. She said eggs should be stored in a refrigerator below 40 degrees in their carton and in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not in the door or in an egg holder.
- Eggs can be frozen to preserve them for a longer time than refrigeration. Riggsbee recommends several ways to freeze eggs for up to one year:
- Whole eggs: break eggs and mix the yolks and white together and separate them into ice cube trays. Freeze until solid, remove and place in freezer bags.
- Egg yolks: break eggs and separate the yolks. Stir yolks together and pour into a jar with half an inch headspace at the top. Seal and freeze.
- Egg whites: break eggs and separate whites. Stir whites together and pour into a jar with half an inch headspace at the top. Seal and freeze.
Other preservation methods like water bath canning or pressure canning are not safe for eggs. “Caution is advised with practices like ‘water glassing,’ which may pose safety risks,” Riggsbee said. “This is the practice of adding pickling lime to eggs in a jar to make the food shelf stable; it was a common practice for families to stretch farm eggs during times when hens were not laying as frequently. However, this preservation practice is potentially unsafe and harmful for human consumption due to the potential contamination in the jar with salmonella.”
In the publication, Riggsbee also explains the health benefits of eggs and egg products and various terms like organic and cage-free that can be confusing to consumers and shows how to use fewer eggs or other products as alternatives. “Substituting eggs in baked goods can be tricky because you must consider the proportions of fats, proteins and moisture in the alternative ingredients,” she said. Some alternatives include applesauce, yogurt, banana, carbonated water, flaxseed and a combination of water, oil and baking powder.
For more information, access these UT Extension publications:
D 250: Backyard Chickens Are Not the Answer to High Egg Prices
D 249: Avian Influenza Likely to Send High Egg Prices Even Higher Throughout 2025
D 251: Eggs Uncovered: Storage Tips, Smart Savings and the Best Alternatives
D 236: Biosecurity Is Critical to Prevent Avian Influenza