Why You Should Not Buy a Backyard Chicken Because of Egg Inflation

• Egg costs have reached an all-time excessive, based on federal authorities knowledge.
• Some individuals are turning to yard chickens however consultants warn it is not as simple or low cost because it appears.
• Farm rescues are bracing for individuals who shall be attempting to do away with chickens bought on a whim.

With egg costs reaching an all-time excessive within the US, the concept of yard chickens — roaming round, grazing on grass, and producing contemporary, scrumptious eggs — is turning into more and more interesting.

However they might not be the budget-savvy trick some hope for.

The nationwide common worth of a dozen Grade A big eggs reached $4.95 in January, a virtually 20% improve from December to January, based on federal knowledge. The bounce was pushed by the chicken flu outbreak, which drastically impacted egg provide, in addition to inflation. The lagging egg provide has additionally led some grocery shops to restrict what number of cartons prospects should buy.

Farm rescues say they’re seeing a rise in curiosity in yard chickens, which gained some reputation in the course of the pandemic and when egg costs spiked in January 2023. Nevertheless, in addition they say many individuals do not understand simply how costly and excessive upkeep yard chickens could be, and that many shoppers who purchase chickens for eggs find yourself attempting to do away with them a short while later.

Yard chickens could be costly and laborious to look after

“Apart from pot stomach pigs, requires chickens and roosters are essentially the most frequent calls we get,” Matt Lieurance, the co-founder of Farm Animal Refuge in San Diego, California, instructed Enterprise Insider. “Individuals get chickens primarily for egg manufacturing after which just a few issues occur. One is they do not have the correct setup and so they get a predator assault.”

Chickens could be preyed upon by creatures generally present in American backyards, resembling coyotes, hawks, raccoons, or possums. Somebody would possibly purchase a easy rooster coop on the similar farm retailer from the place they purchase chicks, however it might be too small because the chickens develop or not adequately protecting towards predators.

Correct housing for yard chickens can run wherever from a number of hundred to a number of thousand {dollars}, probably working so much larger than grocery retailer eggs, even with the record-high costs.

There are additionally some prices related to yard chickens that might not be clear upfront to a first-timer, resembling ongoing meals prices and unexpectedly excessive medical payments because of chickens requiring specialty veterinarians and being in danger for well being problems that would require ongoing therapy or drugs.

Farm Sanctuary, which has places in New York state and Los Angeles, mentioned yard chickens make up the vast majority of animal placement requests they obtain.

“Many guardians who attain out to us for assist are new to caring for a yard flock and are ill-prepared for the challenges of offering lifelong care. In some instances, they underestimate the challenges related to defending birds from predation, the expense concerned, the difficulties of wintertime care, or the final stage of care and dedication,” Ashley Pankratz, Farm Sanctuary’s senior supervisor of rescue and placement, mentioned in an announcement offered to BI.

Pankratz additionally famous that yard chickens usually are not essentially the reply for individuals who view it as a extra humane option to eat eggs, including chicks are sometimes coming from the identical amenities that provide manufacturing unit farms.

Gene Baur, the president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, has additionally spoken out towards the function of manufacturing unit farming within the chicken flu outbreak. “Our irresponsible manufacturing unit farming system is a breeding floor for illnesses like chicken flu, and locations each people and different animals in danger,” he instructed BI in an announcement.

Difficult by the chicken flu outbreak

Many individuals additionally do not understand that it might take 4 to 6 months for chicks, which are sometimes bought as an alternative of full-grown chickens, to start out laying eggs, or that they’re going to solely produce eggs for just a few years and out survive that.

“The identical factor type of occurred in 2020, when everybody went into quarantine and determined they have been going to homestead,” Lieurance mentioned of individuals dashing out to purchase chickens and later realizing it was a nasty thought.

This time round, the issue is compounded by the chicken flu outbreak, as sanctuaries like Farm Animal Refuge are unable to absorb new birds because of the threat of spreading the illness, which means folks seeking to do away with their yard chickens could not have many choices.

“That’s one other big downside with all people going out and shopping for these chicks proper now — they’re probably transferring round this illness to locations it hasn’t been earlier than,” Lieurance mentioned.

Lieurance mentioned he doubts any accountable farm sanctuaries will have the ability to absorb new birds within the close to future.

Some assume they’re shopping for hens and find yourself with roosters

One other problem with shopping for yard chickens is that you could be unintentionally find yourself with a rooster.

Figuring out the intercourse of chicks could be troublesome, and shops will typically promote a gaggle of small hens that truly include a rooster.

“Once you purchase child chicks, they let you know that they are feminine, after which six to eight weeks later certainly one of them begins crowing and your neighbors complain,” Lieurance mentioned, including that Farm Animal Refuge typically hears from folks seeking to do away with roosters.

Pankratz of the Farm Sanctuary additionally mentioned they “obtain every day requests to absorb roosters who’re undesirable, deserted, or surrendered to shelters.”

Along with not producing eggs, roosters are additionally unlawful or closely restricted in lots of jurisdictions the place egg-laying hens are allowed. They are often troublesome to rehome for comparable causes.

Kelly Rutkowski, the founding father of the Undertake a Hen Community, mentioned the roosters characterize a “large animal welfare problem.” Her group serves as an middleman between individuals who need to undertake chickens, and rescues, sanctuaries, or shelters which are on the lookout for someplace to put them.

Rutkowski mentioned the hens are simple to put with individuals who’d identical to to maintain them as pets, and that they’re sometimes adopted out the identical days she posts them on-line, however roosters are a lot more durable.

“There are individuals who see them as extra than simply egg machines and see them for his or her persona,” she mentioned. However even these folks could dwell in locations that make it unlawful or impractical to have a rooster round. She tries to discourage folks from shopping for yard chickens on a whim, to keep away from having extra roosters with nowhere they’ll go.

“It does fear me,” Rutkowski mentioned of the excessive egg costs and improve in folks shopping for chicks. “I am simply ready for all of the birds to start out displaying up in shelters, particularly the roosters.”

Have a information tip or private story to share? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@businessinsider.com.