Americans have begun buying chickens to produce their own eggs, in response to skyrocketing egg prices due to the ongoing avian flu crisis.
A Houston-based poultry supply company has reported a sharp increase in demand, with sales of chickens more than doubling or tripling in recent weeks.
John Berry, the manager of the Houston livestock company, said, “Our sales for poultry have doubled or maybe potentially tripled. I mean we’re selling 100 chickens a week or more.” In contrast, he added, it used to take weeks to sell that many birds in times of surplus eggs.
The soaring prices have made eggs a costly commodity, with premium eggs now reaching $10 per dozen in some US supermarkets. Lower-grade eggs also now cost twice as much as usual. Retailers like Trader Joe’s and Costco have responded by limiting egg purchases, while Waffle House has added a 50-cent surcharge per egg in its dishes.
The egg shortage stems from a recent bird flu outbreak, which has already led to the destruction of over 21 million egg-laying hens this year. The US Department of Agriculture reported that 13.2 million hens were culled last December alone.
Many chicken buyers, including Arturo Becerra, a recent convert to egg production, have found raising their own hens more affordable. Becerra, who spent $400 on 10 hens and an additional $20 for a month's feed, shared, "I think it will be cheaper to buy hens and raise them."
Others, like Billy Underhill, have also expanded their flocks in response to the rising egg costs. Underhill, a long-time chicken raiser, noted, “I was already planning on buying a couple more chickens... because some of them die... I’m going to keep the flow of eggs going in my family.”
Despite the increasing number of home-raised flocks, experts warn of the ongoing avian flu risk. The CDC advises caution and provides safety guidelines for backyard chicken owners. However, for many, the risk does not outweigh the benefits of securing a steady supply of eggs.
Berry said that with no immediate solution to replace the millions of chickens lost to the outbreak, it may take months before egg production returns to normal levels. "It'll be a couple of months, I would guess at the soonest. Seems like it's two or three months or more before things kind of get right," he said.
