The cost of eggs is skyrocketing in the Bay Area, with a dozen costing a whopping $12 in some places. So what’s the solution? Get backyard chickens!
I have six hens in my own backyard, and they lay an egg per chicken per day, at least in the Summer. That adds up to half a dozen eggs a day. Not bad, right?
Their production slows a bit in the darker winter months, but they’re still laying about 3-4 eggs per day among the whole flock.
Having chickens also has other benefits. Feeding them is cheap; you can give them scraps from your kitchen and save on feed, and even if you get a good quality organic feed online, it’s still inexpensive relative to the number of eggs that you’ll get.
Plus, they free-range and eat plants and bugs in the yard, so that saves money too. But the best part? The eggs are incredibly delicious.
Getting backyard chickens also increases your self-reliance and you get lots of great fertilizer in the form of manure. Plus, they also help to control bugs. It only takes about 10 minutes a day to care for my six hens. So if you’ve been considering getting chickens, now is the time!
Most Bay Area cities do allow chickens. It’s important to check first to make sure that your local municipality allows a backyard flock. You can also check with your neighbors to make sure they’re okay with having chickens around.
It’s also important to note that most Bay Area cities don’t allow roosters. Don’t worry–hens can still produce eggs without a rooster present. You can get all the cost savings, without nearly as much noise.
