Tired of exorbitant egg prices? Here are the benefits of buying, raising a chicken

Houston, Texas “Avian flu has wiped out tens of millions of healthy chickens across the United States and driven sky-high prices for eggs in grocery stores.

In fact, from December 2021 to December 2022, egg prices rose by 60% in just 12 months.

This has angered and frustrated parents across Texas who are shell-shocked by the price of eggs. But at the same time, it caused Ken Cousino’s chicken business to explode.

“In terms of chicken sales, I would say that we have grown by 100%. We have gone from selling 20 to 30 chicks per month to selling 100 to 200 per month,” Cousino said.

As owner of Quality Feed And Garden in north Houston, Cousino sells both chicks and adult Hi-Line Red hens to families who want to raise their own chickens in their backyard and never buy eggs from the store again.

How many eggs can you get from one hen in one day?

“Our hens are eight months old, they are at the very beginning of their egg-laying life. Each hen lays one egg a day,” says Cousino, “if you have three hens, they will lay 21 eggs a week.”

In terms of value, Ken sells his chickens for around $26 each, and there’s a reason he recommends buying this particular breed of bird.

“Well, they are a very, very obedient breed, which is why we sell them. You know, because they are great with kids and families,” Cousino said.

So, now you are wondering how much money it will take to start raising your own backyard chickens.

Cousino said the average family would want to buy three chickens, which would cost about $78. To get started, you will need 30 pounds of food, which will cost approximately $15. A five-pound bag of sand that aids in the digestion of the chicken will set you back about $5. A one gallon drinker and stern bow will cost about $15. And finally, a small chicken coop that can be found online for about $160. The total is about 273 dollars.

In Oakwood, Will and Kate Vaughn are raising four children as well as two chickens, the Little Princess and Moxie.

“Well, keeping a chicken is very similar to keeping a pet, dog or cat. You feed and water them every morning. You clean their chicken coop like a tray, and that’s it. Oh, and they’ll eat just about anything, which is why we feed them table scraps every night,” Will said.

Lois Guyot also raises her own chickens, but in much larger numbers, and now there are about 20 of them. She says that her homemade eggs taste much better than store-bought ones.

“I have felt the difference between the eggs that I grow myself and the eggs that I can buy in the store, and they don’t even compare. This makes the eggs even richer and the yolks more intense,” Lois said.

In Bellaire, Philip Bowden is a nurse practitioner, married to a doctor and has three children.

He said that raising chickens at home is fun and gives a great experience of being responsible for children. He added that neither he nor his husband are concerned about the safety of their children when they play with the chickens.

“As long as you wash your hands after handling eggs or chickens, you are at little to no risk of salmonella poisoning or any other disease,” Bowden said.

After all, Will has this advice for any family considering buying chickens to raise at home for eggs.

“Do it! Get a couple of chickens, but first check with your local HOA if there are any rules against chickens. Stop buying eggs and just make your own,” Will said.

Also, the law says you can raise chickens in Houston, but the chicken coop must be at least 100 feet from your neighbor’s house. In any case, experts say it’s always best to check with your neighbors and your HOA before buying a few chickens to raise at home.