Erick Erickson: The Great Chicken Egg Conspiracy

To stop the spread of Avian Flu, poultry houses in America have killed millions of chickens. This disease spreads rapidly and can cause egg contamination. This, along with other factors has led to a shortage in eggs and an increase in prices. Even healthy people have stopped laying egg, which has resulted in the great chicken egg conspiracy.

My radio show featured me talking for an hour about a topic I had never heard of before. My daughter had asked me about chicken eggs after I left my office. Her teacher had chickens, and they stopped laying eggs. Rumours circulated that corporations were adding something to the chicken feed, which would have an impact on egg production.

A listener then messaged me via Instagram. She wanted me to confirm that she was aware of all the conspiracy theories about chicken egg production. Some farmers were posting videos. Some farmers were posting videos suggesting that corporations or government were trying stop egg production.

One reader reached out to me when I discussed this topic on radio. “I suggest that if you don’t have chickens, don’t know masses of people who do have chickens, and haven’t witnessed the rather unusual change in the laying pattern, you stop calling people names. We always have a lull in production in the winter. But seldom, if ever, do they stop for months. And again, this is happening no matter what party a person supports.” I was so indignant, she laughed at my conspiracy.

The problem is real. This is a problem that many people are just beginning to experience because they started chicken farming during the coronavirus epidemic. I know the solution, and I was unaware of it until last week.

Yes, many backyard chickens that were not affected by bird flu stopped laying eggs. People are discovering that some chicken owners can change their diets to get them back to laying eggs. Many chickens will lay eggs in winter. However, scientists have discredited this claim.

It turns out that it isn’t so complicated. The nation experienced a period of freezing during Christmas. The Southeast was subject to colder temperatures than the South, and for more days. People who have had chickens for half a decade have never experienced such a cold snap. Cold weather does reduce chicken egg production. The production of eggs is affected by very cold weather for a long time.

Many chickens stopped producing eggs due to the severe winter conditions in the South. Multiple farmers, veterinarians, and food scientists tell me that this is normal. It is possible to switch from chicken feed to goat feed, as one home remedy suggested. This can either be done by shocking the chicken’s system to increase egg production, or simply coincidence about the timing. The majority of egg production problems disappeared as the states began to warm up.

One farmer who specializes in chickens said that many people have taken up chicken raising in recent years. He has sold many chicks. He said that many people have chickens for three to five years and take a decade to understand all the patterns and cycles. When the days are long and the weather is warm, chickens produce more eggs. Most eggs are laid in spring and mid-summer. Production is affected by hot and cold weather.

The moral of this story is that people are better informed and have more knowledge on topics. However, this knowledge can lead to gaps in our knowledge and a lack of the information we need. This lack of knowledge can be used by others to create conspiracies that are not warranted. Yes, there may be a drop in chicken egg production. The eggs will return even though it may take some time.

Visit www.creators.com to learn more about Erick Erickson, and see features by other Creators Syndicate cartoonists and writers.

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