Hickman’s Family Farms, the largest egg producer in the Southwest, has lost nearly its entire chicken population in Arizona due to bird flu. The company, which is based in Buckeye, confirmed on Friday that it had lost around 6 million birds, representing a 95% loss of its flock.
The farm’s president and CEO, Glenn Hickman, explained that the outbreak began two weeks ago when hens at one of the farms started showing symptoms. Despite efforts to contain the situation, the virus spread to other farms, including replacement pullet flocks.
To mitigate the impact, Hickman announced a reduction in force, affecting around 850 employees. The company is working to find alternative suppliers to keep Arizona stores and restaurants stocked with eggs.
Animal rights activist group Animal Outlook has welcomed the news, calling it a “victory for chickens.” However, Hickman emphasized that vaccination is key to preventing future outbreaks and urged the federal government to provide access to approved vaccines.
With most of the Valley’s egg supply coming from Arizona, egg prices are expected to rise in the Phoenix area. The company plans to focus on prevention measures to minimize the risk of future outbreaks.
Source: https://www.azfamily.com/2025/05/30/hickmans-family-farms-loses-95-arizona-chickens-bird-flu