Washington.- Americans have been going shopping for a few years now eggs without knowing exactly what the final price will be. Fed up with these changes, some have opted to seek alternatives to these fluctuations, such as having their own chickens.
That's exactly what he does. 'Rent the Chicken', A company founded in 2013 outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that offers customers the option to rent two to four poultry for their homes so they can have fresh eggs every day. No price changes.
Jenn Tompkins, the company's co-founder, responds emphatically whether she has noticed an increase in the number of customers in recent months: "Absolutely," she says in an interview with EFE.
"When people rent one of our chickens, they know they don't have to worry about the price of eggs, or shortages, or purchasing restrictions. They just have to go out into their yard and collect them," she adds.
From the end of 2022, The price of eggs in the US has been registering a progressive increase caused by an outbreak of avian flu in which more than 100 million laying hens have been slaughtered.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of eggs reached a first peak in January 2023, under the mandate of the Democrat Joe Biden (2021-2025), but it was in February of this year, under Donald Trump, when it broke all records by reaching $5.89.
However, the portal Trading Economics (which already offers data for March) states that at the beginning of this month a dozen cost an average of more than $8.
Trump, who took office in January, has repeatedly criticized his predecessor, blaming him for passing the problem on to him.
Although the Department of Agriculture He claims that the price is now at more normal levels, around $3. These changes, the purchasing limits of some supermarkets, and the fact that they are often not found on store shelves have caused citizens to look for solutions.
And many of them, according to the co-founder of Rent the Chicken, have chosen to "open the door to all the benefits" these birds offer, beyond the economic ones.
"Fresh eggs have less cholesterol than store-bought eggs. But chickens also act as therapy. They can help interact with neighbors when they go out into the yard, and they get kids away from screens by teaching them how to care for an animal," she says.
The company offers its services in 35 important markets in the country and in other parts of Canada, although, as progress progresses, these weeks will increase even more.
They are most popular in Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and Toronto (Canada), and while they could be a good option for those living in large cities, where life is traditionally more expensive, he regrets that they are not a good alternative for people who live in apartments.
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They offer everything from the simplest package, which costs around $500 for six months' rent and includes a chicken coop, two birds, food, and transportation home, to more comprehensive packages, which cost over $1,000 and include more animals and other extras.
Typically, the choice of package will vary depending on how many people live in the home, since, according to him, two hens lay approximately "a dozen eggs a week."
Tompkins explains that although some schools have joined the initiative, it's designed more for single-family homes. "They're very happy," he says of his clients.
Furthermore, he is not worried that the upswing they have seen due to the egg supply problem will reverse now that the situation appears to be improving.
"I sincerely believe that we will continue renting chickens," "It allows us to have less food insecurity and have food close to our table, making us less dependent on stores," he says.
