What's the real cost of 'free eggs'?
CEDAR HILL, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – A combination of inflation and avian flu spreading across the nation has created a near perfect storm for egg prices: the cost for some store brands has more than doubled in the past year.
Now, frustrated shoppers are getting creative – some are even exploring getting backyard egg laying chickens. But is it really a cost saver?
"The amount of money that you'll spent on feed, buying them a waterer, a secure coop and all of those things – you could have been buying the finest eggs that they have in any grocery store around," says a frank, and chicken owning Sandra Hanna of Cedar Hill. "The coop? Just the materials cost us $800. I'm still paying off that coop! The expenses... not to mention the vet."
Hanna and her husband Bill own 'Cluckin-Better Farm Fresh Eggs.' But the retired photographer admits that her backyard chicken farm really began as a hobby. She was gifted two chickens as a Christmas gift one year and then she was hooked.
"This is 'Goldie'," she says scooping up a pampered pet, "of course, she's my favorite!" And as she continued to coo to the hen, said "I know, you're an expensive woman...." And the backyard set up shows it.
Everything about the Hanna's backyard chicken run was built with intent – from the crepe myrtles and metal cage to help protect them from predators – and then there's that pricey coop.
Still, Hanna doesn't walk on eggshells when explaining what she calls 'the chicken math' – the real deal about the expenses involved in even small-scale backyard chicken farming.
With the price of feed up 20%, she says even when they're able to sell the extra eggs, "it pays for the feed sometimes, on a good month."
During the winter, the loss of sunlight means the hens don't lay. "They're on holiday," explains Hanna. But they still need to be fed.
Then the there's the cleaning of the coop and tending.
It's all worth it for her, but perhaps a warning for others.
"As a retired person, it gets you up every morning, you have something that you must do... your chickens love you for doing it and they give you eggs as a gift. I think it's a win-win," says Hanna.
But.
"Oh, forget profit. Just forget it. If you just want some eggs, buy the nice store brand that are pasture raised for $7, $8. You will save so much more money than trying to feed and care and house chickens."
