Lately we’ve been hearing all kinds of stories about eggs, bird flu, shortages, soaring prices, etc.
I’ve had people contacting me saying that eggs are in short supply, the price is outrageous, and local grocery stores may not have them available. I think I’ve heard it all and then I start seeing crazy egg shortage memes on the internet.
Our local “Crazy Chicken Lady” happens to be our daughter, Elizabeth. Since she has a flock of laying hens here on the farm and supplies eggs for our farm store, I took a special interest in the topic.
Deciding to do a bit of research, I quickly discovered that the surging price of eggs can't be pinpointed to any single reason. There are many factors contributing to the increase.
I'm sure you've heard that the avian flu epidemic is the cause of egg shortages and price increases. Yes, there has been a wave of bird flu which has affected millions of birds. It’s interesting to note that this flu has been in the U.S. for over a year.
Several states have recently imposed legislation that commercial laying houses must be cage-free (no longer keeping hens in cages the size of a sheet of paper). It is very costly for producers to convert to this new system.
Eggs are shipped all over our country via refrigerated trucks. Rising fuel cost have been a huge factor for these transportation companies over the last two years.
Grain cost have escalated and in many places feed costs have gone up as much as 60%.
Labor costs and packaging costs have increased significantly.
The USDA has also reported that Americans are consuming more eggs than ever before. U.S. consumers are buying 3.6 million more cartons of eggs per week than they were prior to the pandemic, according to data from grocery retailer Kroger.
People often forget that there is the simple matter of natural egg production cycles. Chickens lays fewer eggs in the winter because egg production is stimulated by day length. This natural cycle means that eggs are often in shorter supply during the winter months.
So what’s next? Do you change your diet? Do you try an egg substitute? Do you look for the cheapest eggs possible?
My advice to you is know your egg producer and their production practices! Find out if the eggs you are purchasing are truly worth what you are paying for them.
I wholeheartedly believe that the eggs raised here on our farm are an exceptional value, and I’d love for to you to meet our egg producer, Elizabeth.
In warm weather her hens free range during the day which gives them access to fresh grass, bugs, sunshine, exercise, the ability to scratch, and allows them to just be chickens. During the winter they are kept inside, but still given access to the outdoors.
Because of this clean healthy environment, the chickens have no need for antibiotics or other medications which are routinely given in commercial poultry operations. Their feed is custom blended here on the farm and is of the highest quality, fresh and non-GMO.
If you’ve never tried pasture-raised eggs, you are missing out! Pasture-raised eggs not only taste better, but they are much better for you. They have so much more good stuff in them like Beta Carotene, Omegas- 3, as well as Vitamins A and E and much less of the bad stuff like cholesterol and saturated fat. To find out about these benefits and more, hop on over to my blog post, Benefits of Pasture-Raised Eggs.
Next, as you crack one open into a frying pan, you see that the yolk is orange! Not light yellow, I am talking really orange! Fry them up with some bacon and you will have one of the most delicious breakfasts of your life.
Elizabeth’s amazingly delicious eggs are available in our farm store. Check our Products Page for store details.