The cost of eggs jumped a little more than 10% in February after a 15% increase in January — and prices are likely to remain high for a while. The surge in egg prices stems from outbreaks of the avian flu that have resulted in millions of chickens being slaughtered.

There may be some cracks forming in the egg market. For the past several months, consumers have been faced with a hard reality: Fewer eggs at higher prices. But in the first week of March, prices for wholesale loose eggs fell by $1.