Don't Fear the Bird Flu When Dyeing Easter Eggs
If you can afford them.
Dyeing eggs as part of the Easter celebration goes back at least as far as the Middle Ages, and perhaps earlier. Some 47 percent of Americans are, however, planning to forego this happy ritual this season, according to a survey by WalletHub. Why? Because eggs cost too damned much.
The rising per capita demand for eggs has contributed to higher prices for chicken ova, but the recent steep increase largely stems from outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu virus among commercial egg-laying flocks since 2022. The virus kills nearly 100 percent of infected domestic fowl. Once an infection is detected, the entire flock is culled to limit the spread of the virus. Since 2022, over 168 million chickens, ducks, and turkeys have been killed. Outbreaks have been detected among wild birds and commercial and backyard flocks in 681 counties in all 50 states.
Three years ago, before wild migratory birds began spreading the virus to domestic poultry, the wholesale price of eggs was just over $1 per dozen. That soared to over $8 per dozen in February 2025 but has since dropped to a little over $3 per dozen now. The shortage has abated somewhat as, despite the Trump administration's mad tariff shenanigans, the U.S. has imported eggs from Turkey, Brazil, and South Korea. Also, bird flu infections have recently receded a bit, allowing commercial producers to replenish their egg-laying flocks.
In an effort to boost egg supplies, some states are suspending their cage-free egg production mandates. While cage-free eggs cost more to produce, there is little evidence, however, that that production method has a significantly increased risk of bird flu infection compared to conventional production.
The most worrisome concern is that bird flu could mutate into a form that can readily infect mammals, including humans. So far bird flu outbreaks among dairy cattle have been detected in over 1,000 herds in 17 states. The virus has also infected a wide range of other mammals, including pet cats. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 70 people, mostly workers on dairy and poultry farms, have contracted the illness and only one has died. There have been no confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission. The current risk posed by H5N1 bird flu to public health is low, according to the CDC.
In March, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested that farmers let the virus "run through the flock[s]so that we can identify the birds, and preserve the birds, that are immune to it." One big problem: Every infected bird offers the flu virus another chance to mutate into a version that can be directly transmitted from person to person. In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture conditionally approved a bird flu vaccine for use in poultry developed by animal care company Zoetis.
But never mind vaccines for chickens: The HHS should instead prioritize and support the development of human vaccines targeted at H5N1 flu viruses.
At any rate, there are no cases of anyone contracting bird flu from cooked eggs. So dyeing hard-boiled eggs for Easter is perfectly safe. That's good news for those who can afford them.
