Egg prices are soaring. Are backyard chickens the answer?

(civileats.com)

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memsom ◴[20 Feb 25 10:21 UTC] No.43113082[source]▶

Wow! I wondered about this article - US centric. I wondered because eggs are not expensive here. I just looked [1] [2]. I can get a dozen free range for about US$4 at the current conversion rate. They are a supermarket own brand, but even the "fancy" ones are something like that for 6, but some are actually still close to $4 for 12.

The US chicken market (not necessarily eggs specifically) was in the Morgan Spurlock documentary follow up to "Supersize me", and it looked like the chicken "mafia" controlled the business.[3]

[1] https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/search?query=eggs&inpu... [2] https://groceries.asda.com/search/eggs [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Size_Me_2:_Holy_Chicken!

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1. abtinf ◴[20 Feb 25 15:16 UTC] No.43115695[source]▶

>>43113082 #

That is expensive.

Typically at Costco, 5 dozen eggs is under $12, sometimes as low as $8. Currently it is closer to $20, which is about your price.

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2. xandrius ◴[20 Feb 25 15:42 UTC] No.43116038[source]▶

>>43115695 (TP) #

Yeah but I don't think those are even near being free-range.

The US has some awful widespread practices for their livestock.

3. memsom ◴[20 Feb 25 16:08 UTC] No.43116404[source]▶

>>43115695 (TP) #

Okay, so update - we went to the local Morrisons (another chain) over lunch and got 18 eggs (they are sold from trays that you box yourself, but we just took half a tray) for £5.40 (so, what? US$6.82) The eggs are sold by the egg too, 0.30 each, so we could have bought any number we wanted really. They are also free-range. Remember too, in Europe eggs don't need to be refrigerated because we don't treat then to remove the outer layer.

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4. financetechbro ◴[20 Feb 25 16:09 UTC] No.43116409[source]▶

>>43115695 (TP) #

I don’t think it’s fair to compare Costco prices with local grocery store prices. Not apples to apples

5. iinnPP ◴[20 Feb 25 16:20 UTC] No.43116578[source]▶

>>43115695 (TP) #

Canada Costco sells 24 eggs for $6.79 CAD.

$3.50 for 12 off-brand is available in grocers

Google says today $6.79 CAD is $4.78 USD or ~0.20/egg USD

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6. aylmao ◴[20 Feb 25 17:22 UTC] No.43117514[source]▶

>>43116578 #

Just for the sake of sharing prices in the context of North America— in Mexico 12 eggs go for $2.21 [1], 18 for $2.46 [2] and 30 for $4.90 [3]. This is just a normal supermarket, and the brand is just a common local one, not the cheapest and not the most expensive.

[1] https://www.soriana.com/huevo-blanco-bachoco-12-piezas/65002...

[2] https://www.soriana.com/huevo-blanco-bachoco-18-piezas/39041...

[3] https://www.soriana.com/huevo-blanco-bachoco-30-piezas/65002...

7. seanmcdirmid ◴[20 Feb 25 21:21 UTC] No.43120363[source]▶

>>43116404 #

Europe vaccinates their chickens for salmonella I think (vs pasteurization in the states). They might be vaccinating them for bird flu as well, the USA just culls an entire flock if they find an infection in the flock.

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