In a typical year, Nate McNamara would order laying hens from a hatchery in Pennsylvania for his farm, Mac’s Maple in Plainfield. But this year, when McNamara called to confirm his order, he learned that the hatchery’s flock had been killed because it carried H5N1 bird flu.

“It’s not easy to find chickens elsewhere,” he said in a Tuesday phone call.

He plans to order chickens from a Rhode Island-based hatchery, but until then, he’s stuck with hens that are becoming less productive layers as they age.

Transmitted through respiratory droplets and feces in wild birds and livestock, bird flu’s risk to humans remains low. The virus has, however, prompted the deaths of millions of chickens nationwide, as a single infected hen requires the whole flock be culled to prevent further spread.

A flock of 20 non-commercial birds in Windsor County tested positive for bird flu in January, according to the Vermont Department of Health. After several died, the flock was quarantined and later euthanized by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. It was the fifth domestic flock affected by bird flu in Vermont since the the initial outbreak in the spring of 2022.

Since 2022, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, or VINS, which operates an avian wildlife rehabilitation clinic in Quechee, has implemented biosecurity protocols, including monitoring birds’ health daily and maintaining distance barriers.

In the Upper Valley, farms like Mac’s Maple are experiencing bird flu’s impact on the national supply chain.

“The challenge is finding birds,” said Mike Snow of Post Mills Eggs and Grains.

Snow is part of a cohort of poultry growers who buy chickens from another Pennsylvania hatchery, but this year there weren’t enough chickens to go around and some farms missed out on placing an order.

As a pastured poultry farm, Snow’s chickens roam freely on outdoor crops.

“Yes, there’s some risk because they’re outside and they’re moving around, but they also have healthy immune systems,” he said in a phone interview.

As a precaution, however, he’s installing mobile greenhouses to provide the chickens with more protection from wild birds, while allowing them to remain outside.

Sunrise Organic Farm in White River Junction also recently installed screens on outdoor runs to protect their flock, said co-owner Chuck Wooster.

Wooster bought his chicks early this year.

“They’re going to sell out in a heartbeat,” he said.

Upper Valley businesses are also feeling the pinch of rising egg prices, which recently reached a national average of $4.95 a dozen, according to the Associated Press.

“It verges on insanity,” said Leann Briggs of Four Aces Diner in West Lebanon.

Briggs, who purchases her eggs from Sysco at $45 for 15 dozen, reported an almost 30% cost increase from last month.

At Lou’s Restaurant and Bakery in Hanover, wholesale egg prices have “at least tripled,” according to general manager Craig Morley.

The diner has started sourcing eggs through Sysco and U.S Foods since eggs from Pete and Gerry’s, a large regional purveyor, have become “few and far between,” Morley said.

Pete and Gerry’s did not respond to the Valley News’ request for comment.

For now, Four Aces is holding off on raising prices.

“Customers don’t need to take that hit,” Briggs said.

Lou’s increased prices by 4% in the past year to keep up with inflation, but for now the diner has absorbed the rising egg costs, Morley said.

Regional egg shortages have also made it harder to stock area food pantries, said Gabe Zoerheide, executive director of Willing Hands, a nonprofit that supplies fresh food to local charities.

Donations from their largest supplier, a major regional farm, have become increasingly infrequent. In turn, food banks like the Lyme Food Pantry have not received eggs from Willing Hands in several months, Coordinator Kathy Sherrieb said in an email correspondence.

Instead, the pantry has been relying on donations from Lyme residents and rationing eggs, giving half a dozen to each customer.

The regional shortages haven’t been all bad, however.

“What this is going to do as a local market is drive more customers to us,” McNamara said.

The farm has recently received “a tremendous amount” of inquiries about eggs, though fulfilling those orders without new hens proves difficult.

“(Customers) can’t just call and all of a sudden get eggs,” McNamara said.

Mac’s Maple’s eggs currently retail at $4.50 a dozen, and McNamara plans to keep it that way.

“I don’t want to gouge people,” he said.

Snow also hopes that the regional shortages will inspire people to buy from area farms.

“It’s another reason to support local and have a robust local agriculture,” he said.

Marion Umpleby can be reached at mumpleby@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.