Approximately 9 million hens lay about 7 ½ million eggs each day in North Carolina—that’s enough for about one bird per person in the state!
With the average individual eating about 260 eggs per year, North Carolina egg farmers produce enough eggs to feed the state’s residents. Hens lay an egg about once every 26 hours and usually skip a day in the week.
White and brown eggs are produced in North Carolina, as are cage-free, vegetarian-fed, organic and specialty branded eggs, like Eggland’s Best.
Animal Care
Providing great animal care is a top priority for North Carolina egg farmers.
Hens live in comfortable barns to protect them from extreme weather, disease, predators and other biohazards outside. They have access to a continuous supply of fresh food and water, and veterinary care is provided to ensure healthy flocks and a safe food supply.
Flocks are raised in a variety of housing systems—including conventional, enriched and cage-free—offering consumers choices of types and prices of eggs.
Environment & Sustainability
North Carolina egg farmers live where they work, so they take protecting the environment on and near their farms seriously.
Egg farmers comply with voluntary and required environmental management standards, including state and federal regulations, and they follow management practices for preserving the land, air and water.
Protecting rivers and streams, managing the land and soil and keeping the air clean is all part of responsible farm management.
Disease Prevention & Biosecurity
The health and well-being of flocks, farmers and farm workers is of critical concern for North Carolina egg farmers. They know that maintaining disease-free, biosecure barns is an important step in providing safe, high-quality food.
On-farm measures are in place on North Carolina egg farms to prevent disease, including:
- Monitoring of flocks by poultry veterinarians
- Restricting access to barns to essential personnel only
- Prohibiting employees from keeping or handling birds off-premises
- Prohibiting employees from visiting multiple poultry barns on a given day
- Using protective gear, including biosecurity suits and shoe covers
American egg farmers have invested hundreds of millions of dollars on expansive on-farm biosecurity facilities, practices and equipment to protect their birds and keep diseases like avian influenza (HPAI, or bird flu) off their farms.
Community Involvement
Being active members of their local communities is important to North Carolina egg farmers, who volunteer their time to church and civic groups, nonprofits, schools and political activities.
North Carolina egg farmers also support hunger relief by donating hundreds of thousands of eggs annually to those in need.