No Eggs: Here’s Why

On Jan. 18, the egg case at Trader Joe’s in Santa Cruz was bare, with the reason being a run by worried customers.

The case was full of eggs in the morning, according to store staff, with a new shipment expected.

Reports of bird flu killing a record 57.83 million chickens from Jan. 1, 2022 to Jan. 11, 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, spurred shoppers into action.

Another factor is molting season, eight to 12 weeks when hens lose their old weathers and grow new ones, taking a break from laying eggs. Eggs are back, and the prices are higher, due to higher costs for feed, fuel and labor.

The Glaum Egg Ranch at 3100 Valencia Road, Aptos, has a famous egg vending machine open six days a week and sells certified organic eggs.

See glaumeggranch.com n