Track how much egg prices are rising in Southern California due to the bird flu

The bird flu has reached America's coops and Americans' pocket books.

Officially called the H5 avian influenza, the current strain of the bird flu is highly contagious and has infected egg-laying chickens across the U.S. As the domestic chicken population dwindles, egg prices are climbing faster than other grocery items. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows the rising average prices for a dozen large white eggs in Southern California since January.

Egg prices in California are generally higher than elsewhere in the U.S., in part due to the state's regulations. In 2018, voters passed Proposition 12, which banned the sale of eggs produced by caged chickens because of animal rights concerns, while other states still produce and sell caged eggs.

Southern California comparison shoppers will notice that egg prices aren't consistent from store to store -- prices may be rising more quickly in some supermarkets than others. If you'd like to share the egg prices you see in your local grocery store, you can fill out the form below.