Surviving the Egg Crisis: Should you Invest in Chickens?

It looks like the second "Egg-pocalypse" of the 21st century has decended upon us this winter and people are panicking! Eggs that used to be an abundant and affordable kitchen staple now command premium pricing at both the grocery store and roadside stands alike.

In this brief article, we will discuss the various causes of the "egg crisis" and we will go over the pros and cons of starting your own flock. Taking control of your food sources is a worthwhile goal and one that we champion fiercely here at Dragon Way Farm, but we want you to be prepared for what it takes to step outside of the grocery store and start creating your own food! Let's dive in!

Why are Eggs so Expensive Right Now?

There are a lot of factors that go into the price of eggs: How many eggs are available to sell? How many eggs are consumers wanting to buy? How much does it cost to feed and maintain a flock of chickens?

Ever since the Pandemic of 2020, the cost of keeping chickens has risen dramatically. The cost of feed is higher and only seems to steadily creep upwards as time goes on. Building materials for coops and runs are more expensive, and in some cases, no longer available or harder to obtain. With the current administration's trade war policies and possible tariffs, materials will likely become even more expensive or harder to come by in the future. And then there is the Avian Flu situation.

The Standard Operating Procedure in the poultry business is to cull entire flocks of birds if just one bird either tests positive for or becomes ill with the Avian Flu. The reasoning behind this is that destroying the entire flock will prevent the spread of this virus which does occur naturally in wild bird populations and circulates every winter. Millions of laying hens have been destroyed in efforts to control the spread of this virus, mostly to little or no avail. The highly pathogenic Avian Flu is present now in most states in the US, and is said to be spreading to mammals such as cows and cats with some humans contracting the disease as well this year.

All of these factors play a role in the cost of eggs. Currently, demand is very high while the supply has been dramatically cut due to flock culling practices at large egg operations. Back yard chicken keepers and smaller scale egg producers do their best to fill in the gaps, but with the higher cost of feed, many small time chicken keepers have had to raise their prices just to break even on what it takes to produce a dozen eggs. This has a lot of folks thinking that they need to invest in a flock of their own to cut out the "middle-man" and take control of some of their food sources.

To Start a Flock or Not to Start a Flock. That's the Question

You're disgusted by the ridiculous cost of eggs, or you've recently had difficulty even finding eggs to purchase and you want to start your own flock so that you have a steady supply of fresh eggs, for free, right in your backyard. Where do you start?

Not so fast! Before we talk about HOW to start a flock, we need to set you up for success by managing your expectations. The eggs that your hens produce in your back yard will NOT be "free". If your only goal in starting your very own backyard flock is to have "free" or "cheap" access to eggs all year 'round, you're better off sucking it up and paying whatever the grocery store charges. Believe it or not, they are producing eggs the cheapest. Hands down, no debate necessary, facts are facts.

But if your goal in starting your very own flock is to have access to fresh eggs of a higher quality and nutrient count, to consume eggs in a more ethical way from happy, healthy and well-cared for hens, or to just take the first steps in food sovereignty, read on! You are starting a flock for the right reasons, and we're here to help!

The Cost of Starting a Flock

If you don't already have chickens, starting your very first flock can seem rather expensive in the beginning. Within the first 3 months of starting, you will need:

• A predator proof coop and possibly a run

• A steady source of layer feed for your hens

• Bedding for your coop

• Feeders and waterers

• Nest boxes or somewhere suitable for your hens to lay their eggs

• Chickens

Before you even start shopping for chicks or chickens, really give some thought to where they are going to live. The number one cause of people getting rid of their chickens is loss of their flock to predators. It is incredibly sad and frustrating to spend money on birds, spend money on a coop, only to have your hens get picked off one by one by predators in the area, or God Forbid, loose your entire flock overnight to a racoon who tested your coop and won.

Whether you invest in a thousand dollar Amish built fortress for your ladies or you build a coop for your hens yourself for just a couple hundred dollars, do your research and make sure that it is predator proof. That alone is worth whatever you pay and it will be a one-time, upfront investment that will pay you back for years to come if you buy quality. Do not cut costs at the expense of safety for your chickens!

Make sure you know where to buy your feed and what kind of feed you need. If you are buying young chicks to raise yourself, you will need a grower feed until the chickens reach maturity, then switch to a layer feed. Do you know where to purchase high quality feed? Get to know your local feed store or check out what your local Tractor Supply or other large chain store has to offer. Feeding chickens is not complicated, but make sure you can easily source what your chickens need to eat.

Chickens will need some type of bedding in their coop/run. From shavings to straw, to sand and hemp, there a bunch of different options to keep your chickens clean and comfortable. You will need to do some research to find out what bedding options are easily available in your area and what will work best for your situation. Also realize that your coop will need to be cleaned frequently to keep your hens healthy and to keep the smell from becoming a problem in your coop.

The initial cost of obtaining your supplies and setting up a proper infrastructure for your chickens can easily run in the hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on how big of a flock you are starting and how much of the work you are doing yourself on the building end of things. These numbers are not to scare you, but to give you a realistic expectation of the initial investment into a flock of chickens, and to remind you that eggs, even ones laid right in your back yard, are far from "free."

Is a Back Yard Flock Worth the Cost?

The above question is one that everyone is going to have to answer for themselves. If you are considering this purely for the numbers alone and you believe that you can keep your hens cheaply and have a steady source of eggs for much cheaper than the grocery store, you will likely be disapointed. Chickens are living, breathing animals that require safe, adequate shelter, quality food, fresh, clean water and sometimes medical care or special management. Chickens are not egg laying machines. There are times of the year that hens will take a break from laying eggs and you will still have to feed and water those hens without receiving an egg in return.

If you are someone who wants to take control of their food, someone who enjoys the peace and tranquility of watching chickens peck around the yard, and will be grateful for each and every egg laid, then yes, the cost of owning a flock of chickens may be worth it to you. In addition to providing fresh, healthy eggs for you and your family, a small flock of hens can be a useful tool to up your food production game. When properly managed, a flock can be moved around a garden space to minimize pests, provide fertilization and even prep a garden plot for planting. But maximizing the value of your chickens will require some research, planning and time on your part to handle the management of your flock.

If you are ready to jump in to owning your first flock, check out the chicks and chickens we have available here on our site. We do our best to provide a variety of breeds that are beginner friendly while also being very productive layers. Also, feel free to comment down below or reach out to us with any questions you may have about starting a flock!