As Egg Prices Soar, Some are Renting Chickens

By DAVID J. GLENN

Do you get sticker shock whenever you look at eggs at the grocery store? You’re not alone; as a dozen eggs can be as high as $10, mainly because of the bird flu ravaging chickens in the Midwest, shoppers nationwide are feeling eggs-ascerbated.

How about renting a chicken? Yes, you could actually rent two to four hens for a week for $25, giving you about two dozen freshly laid eggs. Sure, that works out to a little more than the store prices, but they’re totally free of antibiotics , hormones, and other not-so-appetizing ingredients that commercial farmers add to chicken feed. Besides, who knows how high the eggs in store will eventually go? This would also prevent egg shortages.

For the $25, the provider, Rent The Chicken, supplies a portable chicken coop, two to four hens, more than 20 pounds of feed, “a chicken-keeping book, food and water dishes, instructions on how to keep your chickens happy!” the company says on its website.”Within two days of the arrival, your chickens will lay eggs ready to use! ” The site says that the eggs have a third less cholesterol, a fourth less saturated fats, and two times more omega 3 fatty acids than store-bought eggs.

And, you may enjoy having a few chickens in your backyard!