A 1disappointing result, but a 2common occurrence for many farms across the state.
¡°The 3avian flu has definitely impacted us.¡±
A challenge, Chelsea Carrigan, the owner of Red Barn Farm in Redmond, has been taking on since May of 2022, when the avian flu was first detected in the state.
¡°One wild bird coming into their 4chicken run, and the next thing you know 10 birds, 20 birds, 30 birds... they¡¯re just 5dropping dead.¡±
Carrigan says they had to shutdown 6agritourism 7in fear of the flu coming to her farm. She¡¯s also tried to cover their runs as much as possible, so wild birds wouldn¡¯t come in.
¡°We also 8do health checks on them.¡±
On top of the avian flu having its impact, she believes the 9unpredictable seasonal changes have also been a leading cause to her chickens struggling to 10lay eggs.
¡°18 eggs some days, when we were usually getting, you know, 15 to 18 dozen this time last year.¡±
She says the lack of production and an increase in costs for chicken feed and cartons has led her to increase her own prices...
¡°Anymore coffee?¡±
...which one nearby breakfast staple has already been dealing with for months with their own supplier.
¡°Outrageous, as you¡¯ve seen at the grocery stores, that you¡¯re paying a lot more for your eggs and all your breakfast products.¡±
Anne Harris, the manager of Redmond Family Pancake House, says in her 30 years of working at the restaurant she¡¯s never seen egg¡¯s cost this much. She estimates her suppliers have increased prices for eggs by about 60 percent.
