First eggs became expensive and hard to find; now it’s the chicken’s turn. When the average price of a dozen eggs reached $4.28 in January 2023, more than double the previous year’s price, and shortages due to avian flu were common, people rushed out in search of chickens. The sudden demand for backyard flocks has left many farm stores and hatcheries sold out for months.
But the cute baby chicks people turn to when starting their backyard chicken journey aren’t the only option for starting a flock. Every year, millions of hens are killed when the egg industry deems them “spent” or too old – and we could bring them into our yards instead.
