Chicken Prices Are Rising Because of Rooster Infertility. (We're Serious.) Forget agriculture -- these chickens need some Viagra-culture.

By Kate Taylor

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Will chicken's reign as the new buzzy and cheap menu item at fast-food chains be cut short by infertile roosters?

Chicken prices are up after the world's largest chicken breeder discovered the fertility of a key breed of roosters is down, reports Reuters. The breeder in question, the Aviagen Group, is responsible for fathering as much as a fourth of America's chickens raised to be eaten.

The roosters are failing to reproduce due to a genetic shift that made the breed hyper-sensitive to overfeeding, according to Sanderson Farms, an Aviagen customer and the third-larger U.S. poultry producer. When the roosters got fat, they bred less, decreasing fertilization and number of eggs hatched. A reported 17 percent of eggs laid by Aviagen hens mated with the rooster breed did not hatch, according to Sanderson's chief financial officer, a significant increase from the typical failure rate of 15 percent.

Related: The One Menu Item Most Affected by Chipotle's Price Hike

Last month, the U.S. Agriculture Department reduced its U.S. chicken production forecast for 2014 to a 1 percent increase in poundage from 2013, a significant drop from the long-run annual average of 4 percent. Less chickens mean higher prices – a risky increase, when beef and pork prices are already on the rise.

Aviagen has replaced the overweight and infertile breed with a new breed of rooster. While it is too early to definitively predict if the change will work, so far, Aviagen and Sanderson representatives tell Reuters the outlook is good.

That's great news for restaurants that have been pushing chicken offerings as the prices for beef and pork have skyrocketed. Domino's began selling chicken covered in pizza toppings in April and Pizza Hut announced earlier this week plans to increase profits with a national chicken rollout. Both mega-chains and quirky concepts are getting in on the trend: Burger King brought back the Subservient Chicken to promote the triple-decker Chicken Big King in April and Umami Burger founder Adam Fleishman opened chocolate fried chicken joint ChocoChicken in June.

Related: Long Seen as Boring, Chicken Is Becoming a Buzz Item for Restaurants

Kate Taylor

Reporter

Kate Taylor is a reporter at Business Insider. She was previously a reporter at Entrepreneur. Get in touch with tips and feedback on Twitter at @Kate_H_Taylor. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Marketing

5 Trends Shaping the Next Generation of Digital Marketing

These IT platforms offer a unique opportunity for brands to connect organically with their demographic by partnering with influencers who boast a loyal following.

Side Hustle

This Gen Zer's Stylish Side Hustle Earns About $20,000 a Month and Paid Off His Parents' $200,000 Debt: 'I Enjoy the Hands-Off Nature'

Ray Cao went from working as a barista for $8 an hour to being a successful seller on online marketplace StockX.

Business News

Make $177,566 With No Experience in 3 Months: A Popular Online 'Side Hustle' Course Is Under Investigation After Customers Complain About Its Deceptive Claims

"All you need is a phone, a laptop, wi-fi and one to three hours a day," one affiliate marketer said in a video posted to social media.

Business News

Tennessee Just Passed a New Law to Protect Musicians From a Growing AI Threat — And Even Taylor Swift Has Been a Victim

Tennessee is the first U.S. state to pass legislation protecting music industry professionals.

Business News

'A Lobstrosity': Social Media Is Losing It Over Martha Stewart's Latest Meal Posting

The 82-year-old caused quite a stir on Instagram this week.

Business News

7 Shocking AI Trends for 2024 That Will Leave You Speechless

Make sure these trends are on your radar.