SoCal farms see influx of customers lining up for eggs amid supply shortage, high demand​on February 12, 2025 at 6:14 am

CHINO, Calif. (KABC) — Southern California farms say they’re getting an influx of business due to high demand and lack of supply due to the bird flu.

At the Maust’s California Poultry Farm in Chino, the parking lot is packed. And there’s a long line of customers at the store. Most are there for one reason- to buy eggs.

One customer said she waited approximately 40 minutes in line.

For customers who come to the farm often, they say the price of eggs has jumped significantly in recent weeks.

“These were $16.50, the last time I came they were $11.50,” said Chino resident Xitlali Reyes, referring to the eggs she just purchased. She added that she recently went to grocery stores in search of eggs, but they were all sold out. When she went to Stater Bros Market, a pack of just six eggs were priced at $5.

“For all this, three trays, it’s $49.40, it is more expensive than usual, about two bucks more expensive,” described Masgo Sidarta, a Rancho Cucamonga resident.

At Trader Joe’s stores around Southern California and nationwide, they’re now limiting the number of eggs people can buy to one dozen per customer, per day.

At a Vons store in Riverside, a dozen eggs will set you back nearly $7.

In Chino, there was a long line on Saturday morning at Billy’s Egg Farm. People were lining up starting at 7 a.m. The farm said they were completely sold out by 11 a.m.

People have been seen lining up bright and early at Billy’s Egg Farm and drive-thru store in Chino to buy fresh eggs.

The reason for the lack of supply is the outbreak of bird flu across the country – something that’s also been detected right here in Southern California.

“So many farms have to euthanize so many birds, and because of the shortage, there’s just no eggs, supply and demand comes into play, and that’s where you see these high prices,” described Paul Maust with Maust’s California Poultry.

At Maust’s farm, customers aren’t allowed to go anywhere near the birds. At this point, he doesn’t think any of his birds are affected – so far.

“First you start noticing a drop of eggs in production, then more mortality, if you see that you might have a problem,” he said.

The owner says the CDC is out at the farm every week testing for bird flu. He knows that one positive test could mean the end of everything.

“They find one positive, they have to euthanize all the birds on that farm, show is over for that farm,” he said.

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