Don’t let egg-flation get you down!

Have you seen the price of eggs lately?! If you’ve been to the grocery store recently, I’m sure you’ve noticed that one of our most common kitchen staples has become much more expensive. The incredible, edible egg is nearing $5.00 – $6.00 a dozen! The national average price in December 2022 was $4.25 a dozen which was double the previous year. So, why are eggs so expensive now? And what can you do about it?

Why the eggs-tra cost?

According to the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau there are a lot less hens laying eggs. One of the biggest reasons is the delayed result from a summer and fall full of avian flu outbreaks. The virus gets suppressed in hotter weather, but as soon as the cooler weather arrives, outbreaks occur across the state.

Increased fuel and feed prices also make egg production more expensive. Those costs get passed on to suppliers and the end buyer. Eggs are not just necessary for omelets and scrambled eggs for breakfast, they are an important component of countless recipes.

Get your eggs straight from the source

Have you ever thought about getting chickens? If the rising cost of eggs has you considering it, here are some things to know about having chickens.

Chickens make great “pets!” You can hold them and love them, like a cat. YES, YOU CAN! If you interact with them daily, they will be lovable and trust you. My children can even pick up our rooster and hold him. Chickens will interact with you and squawk and buk at you while you talk to them. They will make you smile. I promise.

Ok, I know they are not just feathery little companions, most of you are probably thinking, “What about the eggs!?!?!” OK! OK! Yes, I get eggs too, and with the cost of eggs today, it’s nice that I get farm fresh eggs every day. It’s like a prize each day when I go down to the barn and find eggs in the box.

Chickens love to graze around in the yard or pasture during the day and help keep the bug population down. Chickens are also natural garbage disposals. You can feed kitchen scraps to the chickens and they ‘recycle’ it. Therefore, they are helping you make compost too, so you don’t have to purchase any for your flowers.

Have you ever had a farm fresh egg versus a store-bought egg? Once you have farm fresh, you will not be able to go back to eggs purchased at the grocery store. The look…. the taste…. it’s all different. Sure, you can google alternatives to eggs for recipes, but nothing replaces a good, old-fashioned egg.

Worried you’ll get too many eggs? I’m sure your neighbors will love you when you sit a little stand out with eggs at $2 or $3 per dozen! You won’t be able to keep enough available!

Chickens will need a safe place to sleep at night and lay their eggs. There will be an initial investment upfront and the cost to feed and care for them, but the reward is worth it.

Thinking of chickens now, huh…. cute fluffy little friend, keeping the bugs down in the yard, supplying farm fresh eggs, helping out your neighbors… how can you say no?