What is Driving the Price of Eggs Up?

[Windy in Kansas]

When the extreme cold, wind, rain, ice, snow and blizzard hit the price of eggs skyrocketed. Egg production normals slacks off during these times so I wasn't surprised in the least.

The price has gone up from 71¢ per dozen late last year and is now STILL around $1.35 even though layers should be back in better production. What is holding the price up so much?

Too difficult to have hens here in town where I live---bitchy neighbor even though they should be allowed as per law.

I keep saying that I'm going to have to move to my farm even if I have to live in a cardboard box. Maybe that time is nearer than I planned on. Grow my own, raise my own, and beef too from the prices in the stores. Meat seems $1 to $1.50 per pound higher (or more) than 6 months ago. Not that much ethanol production going as of yet so that shouldn't be the cause.

Bush's plan for grain alcohol to operate our new vehicles with is driving the demand for corn up. Which in turn means higher feed prices.

[vallyfarm]

corn prices are up, but just as with the gas prices, if they can find any excuse to jump prices, they will. More money for them, with a "good reason" to do it. Oil companies post record profits as gas prices continue to rise... if it was a real problem the record profits couldn't happen. You will be amaised how many items will jump from this corn price excuse. Mike

[arabian knight]

Yup Ethanol and Corn for Ethanol, has driven prices up and will continue to do so till Next falls crop can be harvested~~~~~. Which by the way more acres are planed to be planted in corn then in many many years, and that then will help but Not Until then~! That is why President Bush was in Brazil to see if he could make a pack in importing some Ethanol from them to take the squeeze out from our corn and such. But Brazil want the tariffs taken off~! And that won't happen, so I do not know where that stands now. Can't let Ethanol into this country at lower then our price and ruin the many upstart companies now that are in making Ethanol

As feed and fuel prices rise so must the prices of any ag products that require them.

.....Alan.

[fin29]

You think store-bought eggs are expensive?--wait until you calculate how much each home-grown egg costs you! If you think that growing your own is the best way to save money, you'll be surprised at the reality of housing costs, feed, stock, electricity, bedding, etc. That's not to say that it's not worth it, but it's not always a money maker, let alone a money saver.

[stanb999]

Originally Posted by A.T. Hagan

As feed and fuel prices rise so must the prices of any ag products that require them.

.....Alan.

This could be true if the price of meat on the hoof has changed. But it hasn't. Hogs are 60 cents, Beef 90 cents, Chickens 30 cents and have been that way for over a year. The price increases you see are the packing industry taking advantage of the situation.

[michiganfarmer]

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

When the extreme cold, wind, rain, ice, snow and blizzard hit the price of eggs skyrocketed. Egg production normals slacks off during these times so I wasn't surprised in the least.

The price has gone up from 71¢ per dozen late last year and is now STILL around $1.35 even though layers should be back in better production. What is holding the price up so much?

Too difficult to have hens here in town where I live---bitchy neighbor even though they should be allowed as per law.

I keep saying that I'm going to have to move to my farm even if I have to live in a cardboard box. Maybe that time is nearer than I planned on. Grow my own, raise my own, and beef too from the prices in the stores. Meat seems $1 to $1.50 per pound higher (or more) than 6 months ago. Not that much ethanol production going as of yet so that shouldn't be the cause.

from what I have learned, Im not savng any money by buying laying feed just to get eggs. If you can free range all year I think you can save money, but not when you have to buy special feed. Im not saving anything. Im doing it for the quality of the eggs.

[Terri]

ARE feed prices higher? I am still paying $7 for 50 pounds!

I found that the way to save on feed money was to scrape the plates of toddlers into the feed dish. You KNOW how they are! "I want some more". You give them a good spoonfull more . They take one bite. "That's enough! All done!"

Of course, that will not go far with a FLOCK, but if you have only 3 hens, then plate scrapings x 3 meals a day x 2 toddlers WILL put a good dent in the feed bill! And 3 hens will give 1+ dozen eggs a week.

Of course, there is still the cost of the shelter they live in, though grass clippings make good bedding and are free! At my best I probably broke even, what with the price of wood!

On the whole, I no longer find it cheaper to raise my own eggs. I no longer have toddlers, I have teenagers! You know, the sort who eat 2-3 sandwiches for a snack!

I LOVE having chickens, though!

[stanb999]

Originally Posted by michiganfarmer

from what I have learned, Im not savng any money by buying laying feed just to get eggs. If you can free range all year I think you can save money, but not when you have to buy special feed. Im not saving anything. Im doing it for the quality of the eggs.

Well it also depends the breed of chicken you have. I have a neighbor that keeps "heritage" breeds. He only gets 4-5 eggs a day all winter with 25 chickens.

I on the other hand keep sex link crosses (commercial breed). They give me 8-10 eggs a day all winter; keeping 11 chickens.

So I have less feed costs and more produce. You have to decide when you start if it's for saving $ or for some higher purpose. As a side note they forage very well in the summer also and get by on almost no feed for 7 months of the year.

[ginnie5]

I still find it cheaper to have my own. I pay $10 for 50# of layer feed a month. Granted I don't have a lot of chickens and when i get more that's going to increase. they get all the table scraps we have too. That $10 is $2.50 a week. If I buy the same quality eggs at the store as I'm getting I spend more. Now if I buy the sale ones that are nasty I would save. Plus I have the benefit of old hens for the stew pot. My kids will hardly eat store bought eggs anymore. say they taste funny.

[jerzeygurl]

my corn costs have doubled, from 1.99 a bushel to 4 bucks a bushel,

I have mine mixed at mill they get the same thing as the dairy stock, I have 10 cows a bull , and 2 bulls i raised for beef and i averaged out my total farm feed costs just dividing for the 10 cows, and its costing me a 1 per day or so to feed the cows, and every body else is free, so the eggs i thing are worth that

chickies get all the table scraps and whey too, and in the summer all the buggies they can eat.


eggs are up because of corn, last year people complained about paying me$1.50 for our eggs because they could get them in the store for less than a dollar, i told them knock themselves out,

[DaleK]

Corn prices are just an excuse. I have a pretty good idea of what the farmers are getting paid for the eggs in the store, and what their costs are, and IF they're getting anymore for eggs on their end because of feed prices (most aren't) it's only 3-4 cents a dozen.

[uncle Will in In.]

We have all heard of the TRICKLE DOWN THEORY that was supposed to fatten our pocket books a few years ago. Well our exhaultated leaders have seen the error of their ways, and have initiated the TRICKLE UP THEORY. As you see it is working well.

[ozarkcat]

Actually, specific to this part of the country: one of the large egg producers has run into a problem where they haven't gotten ahold of replacement layers, so until they do, they're not able to get as many eggs. That's what I've been hearing at my local Alps store here in southwest Missouri. You might be dealing with the same supplier.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Originally Posted by fin29

You think store-bought eggs are expensive?--wait until you calculate how much each home-grown egg costs you! If you think that growing your own is the best way to save money, you'll be surprised at the reality of housing costs, feed, stock, electricity, bedding, etc. That's not to say that it's not worth it, but it's not always a money maker, let alone a money saver.

All mine get is a handful of scratch a day, may cost me $5 per month. They roost in the trees and make their own living. They look great and give me around 4 eggs per day from 6 hens. That works out to 10 doz per month of $50 cents per doz. If you add in the cost of the pullet and factor in the off season, I am sure I am not paying over $1 per dozen for organic free range eggs. I would call that a money saver!

[fin29]

Originally Posted by Matthew Lindsay

All mine get is a handful of scratch a day, may cost me $5 per month. They roost in the trees and make their own living. They look great and give me around 4 eggs per day from 6 hens. That works out to 10 doz per month of $50 cents per doz. If you add in the cost of the pullet and factor in the off season, I am sure I am not paying over $1 per dozen for organic free range eggs. I would call that a money saver!

The fact that you luck out and predators don't get your chickens doesn't negate the real potential costs of chicken ownership. The fact of the matter is that 9 out of 10 people will lose a substantial number of chickens by leaving them out, and while I agree that free-ranging is ideal in terms of keeping your feed costs down, it's just not realistic for the majority of chicken owners.

[anniew]

Are we talking about money, or the quality of the eggs. You can buy cheap, cheap, cheap anything. You get what you pay for.
I'd prefer to pay more and get better. Same thing for everything I eat.
Most Americans get food at a rate far lower than other countries. And we constantly complain.
If you knew the true cost of food (ag subsidies, conservation cost shares, payments for not growing, etc.) and had to pay those real costs, you'd find time in your life to grow more of your own, or to buy local, buy fresh, and buy healthy.
I can understand when money is tight that you want to pinch every penny, but you are also pinching on your health...perhaps in several ways. You are getting less than fresh food. You may be getting pesticides (not just on domestic product, but even more likely in higher quantities from imported stuff like grapes and most other fruits in the markets now), hormones (in meat and dairy products--they don't require labeling so you just don't know), antibiotics, AND you may not be getting exercise if you have an office or other sedentary job.
Grow some of your own and you'll get all of the benefits with much less down-sides.
If you eat healthier, you'll feel better and be more productive in whatever you want to do.
Eat healthy!
Ann

[diamondefarm]

CHINA??




Sorry, couldn't resist

[keljonma]

Originally Posted by stanb999

Well it also depends the breed of chicken you have. I have a neighbor that keeps "heritage" breeds. He only gets 4-5 eggs a day all winter with 25 chickens.

I on the other hand keep sex link crosses (commercial breed). They give me 8-10 eggs a day all winter; keeping 11 chickens.

So I have less feed costs and more produce. You have to decide when you start if it's for saving $ or for some higher purpose. As a side note they forage very well in the summer also and get by on almost no feed for 7 months of the year.

I think it does depend on the breed and how the chickens are kept. We have 17 heritage breed (standard, no bantams) pullets and have gotten 10-12 eggs a day all winter long. Not sure why your neighbor isn't getting better numbers from his flock.

Ours too, forage whenever they can, although that hasn't been much since mid-January. We love those spring, summer & autumnal days when they eat more forage and less feed! Our birds are raised holistically and are fed a vegetarian, mostly organic, diet. Feed here has been just under $10 for 50# for Layena and just under $11 for 50# for certified organic layer since autumn when prices went up about $1.50 for 50# for both. Scratch prices also up about the same.

If I wanted to buy eggs in the grocery like we get from our flock, I'd be paying nearly $3/dozen and I know they wouldn't be as fresh as ours. I agree with Stanb999, you have to decide why you want to raise your own chickens. We're definitely in it for "some higher purpose". It's definitely not making our bank account richer by raising our own flock, but I think we're personally richer in health and enjoyment.