What to know about raising backyard chickens
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF)- As egg prices continue to be high due to avian flu, many are considering raising backyard chickens.
The current average price of a dozen eggs in the United States is just short of six dollars.
Even with possible relief around the corner, the egg-flation has many considering getting their own backyard chickens.
But what should you know before doing so?
Evangelon James, an extension agent with the UT Institute of Agriculture, taught a class on Tuesday at t
UT Agriculture extension agent Evangelon James teaching a class about what to know before buying and raising chickens. (Courtesy: Cleveland-Bradley County Public Library)
he Cleveland-Bradley County Public Library to room full of prospective chicken owners.
James advised, “We impulse buy shoes. We impulse buy clothes, right? Concert tickets. We do not impulse buy animals, living creatures.”
Evaluating your ability to take care of these live animals is key before deciding to rule the roost.
James said, “But you need to ask yourself, what is my timeline, and how much effort and energy do I want to put into this? I’m assuming we all want to get chicks, but you may say to yourself, I want eggs right now. I want a producing hen. I don’t have the time or the wherewithal right now with my schedule to tend to chicks because these are live animals, it takes a lot of effort.”
It is also important to keep track of regulations in your area, as they vary between cities, counties, and states.
For example in Chattanooga, only those who own five or more acres or are zoned for agriculture can own chickens.
In Cleveland, any household can own up to 12 hens, but no roosters.
They also cannot publicly sell their eggs.
James said, “One city might be more lenient than the other, and I think we’re going to see more and more of those expectations change, just a theory, because more and more people are getting interested in having these and having chickens, and so there might be more leniency with some of those regulations as more and more people request that.”
James adds that for those getting their own chicken, to continue to monitor the spread of avian flu.
She says the spread will go down with hotter temperatures in the summer, but there is still risk to any birds.
James said, “They are recommending no free ranging because they get it from birds, and so the more they interact with birds, the more we’re likely to have transmission, that biosecurity issue, and that’s another reason why when we talk about setting up our coops and making sure that predators can’t get in, it’s also stopping birds from getting into your run because again they’re opportunistic and your birds are out in the wild, they’re in your backyard.”
She added that properly storing eggs after your hens lay them is important keep them fresh and edible.
James said they can last up to two months refrigerated, and advised to label them so you know how old they are.
A Wells Fargo study says that egg prices are expected to remain volatile through Easter.
