W.Va. (WBOY) Clarksburg – The price of eggs is record high, and chicken is roughly the same as the price of a dozen eggs, but how long does it take to not buy eggs to keep a chicken?
Amid the ongoing bird flu outbreak, egg prices hit a national record of $4.95 per dozen last month. Egg prices are expected to rise even higher this year, with a surge on Easter holidays, according to USDA forecasts.
Some restaurants add additional charges to their menu to offset costs, and some people wonder if they should just raise their own chickens.
The price of a female chick is not that expensive. It’s $5-8 from well-known retailers such as country kings and tractor supplies, but that’s not the only cost. First-time chicken breeders need to buy at least 3-6 chicks as the chickens need to live in the group, and keepers also need equipment such as sheds, feeders, heat lamps, bedding and cleaning products, according to the new Chick Care Checklist for Tractor Supply.
Can I freeze eggs?
Without taking into consideration the need to refill your feed and bedding, the cost of buying chickens and everything you need to maintain them is just a few hundred dollars if you’re totally nothing.
You can get a chicken starter kit with lamps, bulbs and feeders for just $40, but we work with just a few chickens for around $200. Adding the normal cost of $15 for feed and $15 for bedding can lead to about 100 dozen eggs being taken before they break.
Certainly, if you already have a shelter that can be used as a shed or are planning to sell eggs to make up for some of the costs, it may be worth the investment. A group of three healthy chickens laid about 12 eggs per week in warm weather.
Also, please note that some local governments have ordinances to maintain livestock.
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