If you’re like me and many other Americans, you may have noticed that the price of eggs is rising again. It would have cost me nearly $6 to buy 18 eggs near Charlotte, NC. I remember the days when I could buy a dozen eggs for less than $1. It’s no surprise to me that many people, including several of my friends, choose to raise their own chickens. So, why are egg prices so high? What are the alternatives?
Why are egg prices so high?
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows that egg prices have increased by nearly 38% compared with the same period last year. That’s a pretty good increase compared with last year’s overall food price increase of 2.4%.
Recently, eggs have even become hard to find as a deadly bird flu virus spreads across the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 128,907,392 birds have been infected with this influenza virus.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides the livestock industry outlook. According to its most recent report, “3.97 million laying hens were lost in November alone, and two flocks in Merced, Calif., lost an additional 2.5 million birds during the first week of December.” Another It was noted that all of the cases of killing table-laying hens were from free-range flocks in California and Arizona. Both states require eggs sold within the state to be pasture-raised.
Unfortunately, prices will continue to rise due to the plight of many chicken farmers.
The USDA report forecast: “For 2025, the quarterly average price forecast has been raised to reflect lower production expectations.” “The first-quarter forecast was raised 45 cents to 295 cents per dozen, and the second-quarter forecast was raised 25 cents per dozen. cents to 225 cents per dozen, with the third-quarter forecast raised by 20 cents to 190 cents per dozen and the fourth-quarter forecast raised by 20 cents to 190 cents per dozen.
So, how to deal with rising egg prices? Many of my friends in rural North Carolina have decided to start raising chickens.
The cost of raising chickens versus the cost of buying eggs
It is estimated that the average person eats 280 to 285 eggs per year. At current prices, people spend about $8.37 a month on eggs. However, if you eat eggs every day, baker or have a large family, this number may double. That said, many people have been wondering if it’s worth raising chickens instead of buying eggs.
Here are some things to consider. First, you have to take care of the chickens. They may get sick and have other problems. That is to say,Chicken coop series I took some time to calculate the approximate monthly cost of raising chickens. If you have a 5-egg flock, you can expect to spend about $69 per month. That’s a lot more than the $8 you spend every month on two dozen eggs.
However, your flock may lay more than two dozen eggs in a month. You can then sell your eggs on Facebook or within your community. This can help you get some money back. Can you sell $60 worth of eggs? It depends on how your chickens lay eggs. Many of my friends enjoy collecting eggs every day. They also like not having to worry about the price of eggs at the grocery store or worrying about supply chain issues.
To me, it’s not worth it. I’ll be dealing with the continued rise in egg prices and probably not having this kitchen staple for weeks.
How do you deal with egg costs?
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