(NewsNation) — Egg prices are skyrocketing to the point that some Americans are taking matters into their own hands and raising chickens in their backyard.
Tommy Lane, a Staten Island, New York, resident decided to build a chicken coop last spring to ensure a steady supply of fresh eggs.
“With the prices of everything going up and everything we decided that we wanted to start raising chickens,” Lane told NewsNation affiliate PIX11.
A bird flu outbreak has sent egg prices soaring to an average of $4.15 per dozen in December, up 65% from a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In places like California, prices are even higher, nearly $9 for a dozen.
Prices are so high that Waffle House recently added a $0.50 per egg surcharge to all of its menus.
Lane, who owns four chickens that produce about one egg per hen each day, estimates he saves around $120 each month.
“I don’t have to worry about any egg shortages. They’re always here for me,” he said.
The backyard chicken trend isn’t limited to expensive cities like New York.
“We’ve seen a real uptick in calls recently from people wanting to start their own backyard flocks,” Matthew Aversa, a co-owner of Winding Branch Ranch, a nonprofit sanctuary and farm animal rescue outside San Antonio, recently told the Associated Press.
“We adopt out whole flocks. We’re receiving at least a dozen inquiries per week,” he said.
NewsNation’s Elizabeth Prann also has chickens and offered advice for those who are considering it.
“If folks are thinking about getting into it, (hens) do molt, they don’t lay an egg every single day,” Prann said on NewsNation’s “Morning in America.”
Depending on where you live, there can also be rules and regulations around owning chickens, so it’s important to do your research beforehand, Prann noted.
Security is also something to keep in mind.
“Just about every predator on the planet eats a chicken,” Prann said.
Startup costs can also vary widely, from about $200 to $2,000 for a coop alone, according to the Associated Press. Feeders and waterers range from about $8 to $50 or more, depending on the size and type.
But those expenses may be worth it over time. The Agriculture Department predicts egg prices are going to soar another 20% this year.
Since January 2022, more than 156 million commercial, backyard and wild birds have been affected by the virus.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
