Empty egg shelves are a sign of the devastating impact of avian influenza, H5N1 or HPAI, on commercial poultry flocks in California.

Consumers can blame bird flu for the disruptions in the egg market, experts say. Close to 40 million egg-laying hens that are part of the commercial egg supply chain died as a result of the influenza strain and also because of fires.

With the prices of everything from gas to feed on the upswing, so too is the price of getting eggs on shelves. Average U.S. gas prices sit around $3.069 per gallon, according to AAA, which is roughly in line with average prices from a year ago, but prices are still higher than pre-pandemic levels.