As egg prices hit a record average of $4.95 per dozen in January 2023 due to bird flu and inflation, the appeal of backyard chickens has surged. However, experts warn that raising chickens for egg production is neither simple nor inexpensive, with many new chicken owners ultimately abandoning their pets after failing to provide adequate care or protection from predators. This trend is straining farm rescues, which report an uptick in chickens being surrendered following impulsive purchases.
"Besides pot belly pigs, calls for chickens and roosters are the most frequent calls we get," Matt Lieurance, the co-founder of Farm Animal Refuge in San Diego, California, told Business Insider. "People get chickens mainly for egg production and then a few things happen. One is they don't have the proper setup and they get a predator attack."
The nationwide average price of a dozen Grade A large eggs reached $4.95 in January, a nearly 20% increase from December to January, driven by the bird flu outbreak and inflation.
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