More people buying chickens to combat high egg prices

Yahoo

13-03-2025

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — Some people may be looking to get chickens to combat the recent hike in egg prices. But will that actually save them money?'We went on a vacation and stayed at an Airbnb or Vrbo that had chickens, like, out running in the yard. And it was in the city and super normal,' backyard chicken owner Amanda Beller said. 'So I started checking into it. You check with the city and there are ordinances, and it will show how many feet you need to be from your own house, from neighbors. You send in a quick application. And then every year, I think it's a $10 fee that we pay in the city limits to have chickens. You're limited to four and only hens, no roosters.'
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The downside of having chickens is that you aren't guaranteed eggs all year round.'Winter, when shorter days and colder temps and less time outside, they hardly lay at all in the winter months, especially the shorter days,' Beller said. 'People always ask and say 'oh, you're so smart to get chickens.' Because it's such a value compared to [buying eggs]. But by the time you look at the coop and we feed organic food and treats and, you know, the electricity… probably I'll never make money on my chickens and the eggs.'Bomgaars is selling baby chickens for about $3. Workers say the line always stretches around the store with people eager to buy chickens.'By far, chickens are the most sold item, I'd say during this time of the year, and it gets pretty hectic,' Bomgaars employee Remington Kelbimschmidt said. 'I'd say it's more crazy because it's the start of the season. So people want to rush in to get chickens before it's too late.' With the large amounts of people looking to buy chickens, it's important to remember that they will get bigger and require lots of daily work like any other pet.
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'It's a big commitment,' Beller said. 'So you have to make sure that they've got food and water, of course, every day and clean out their coop because they are kind of dirty birds. But also, you know, in wintertime when the temps drop below zero, you can't have your chickens freezing. So I just think, you know, it sounds great in the springtime, but think about all year long or if you travel or when your kids lose interest. Make sure you're making a good choice about having the birds.'
If you are still considering getting chickens don't let the cute faces fool you: they're a lot of work.
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