Eggs Are Getting So Expensive In The U.s. That Some Companies Have Found An Unusual Solution: Renting Out Chickens

If you’ve been buying eggs in recent days, you’ve likely noticed a significant surge in prices. In fact, they increased by 15.2% in January. This jump in egg prices serves as a useful indicator of broader economic trends. In the end, rising egg prices impact several sectors, including catering, confectionery, baking, and prepared food products.

The egg crisis is particularly troubling in the U.S., where some individuals have found an unconventional solution: renting out egg-laying hens.

Egg crisis. Several factors have contributed to this issue. One ongoing factor is a gradual decline in egg production. However, the immediate cause behind the current price surge has a specific name: bird flu.

The U.S. has been grappling with a severe outbreak of bird flu for months. The situation has led to concerning news, including the first mild infections in humans and even infections in pigs. While the impact has been most severe in the U.S., other countries have also started implementing measures to control the epidemic.

A complicated 2025. The outbreak of bird flu has significantly impacted egg production in the U.S. Millions of laying hens have had to be culled, reducing the supply of eggs on the market and consequently increasing egg prices.

Unfortunately, the crisis isn’t expected to resolve soon. The Department of Agriculture estimates that egg prices will continue to rise over the next few months, with increases projected to exceed 40% for the remainder of 2025. The impact is so severe that some restaurants have started charging extra for dishes that contain eggs.

Solutions. In response to the egg crisis, some innovative individuals have started a chicken rental service. One company is Rent the Chicken, which has been in operation for several years.

Originally, its service allowed people to rent chickens and poultry for therapeutic purposes in care centers for the elderly or for educational purposes in classrooms. However, the company recognized a new business opportunity and now offers a complete package that enables customers to have chickens for fresh eggs at breakfast.

Chicken rental. Rent the Chicken operates in select states, offering a unique service that includes:

• A portable chicken coop housing two to four egg-laying hens, fully equipped with everything necessary for care.
• Enough feed and expert advice on chicken care.

With this setup, you can produce up to a dozen eggs a week with just a couple of hens. CO-founder Jenn Tompkins recently mentioned that the company is currently experiencing a busy season.

The rental cost for the hens is around $600 for the kit and two hens, and around $800 for four hens, which includes the necessary feed. Prices may vary based on location, especially between urban and remote areas. There’s also an additional $25 charge for each extra week.

Is it worth it? Consider the price per dozen eggs is $5 (although it can be higher in some places), and the hens lay 12 eggs a week. That amounts to 312 eggs over six months, totaling 26 dozen eggs. At $5 a dozen, that results in $130.

While the math may not fully add up, there’s something that could offset the costs: Some establishments sell out of eggs within minutes. Similar to the rush for toilet paper or yeast during the pandemic, media reports indicate that eggs are flying off the shelves. By having your own chickens at home, you wouldn’t face that problem.

However, considering the rental cost of $600 for six months, you might prefer to invest in a chicken coop and the hens outright to enjoy fresh eggs without worrying about rental expiration. Interestingly, did you know that this innovative idea originated about 10 years ago from a late-night Google search for “crazy business ideas”?

Image | Zosia Szopka

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The news Eggs Are Getting So Expensive in the U.S. That Some Companies Have Found an Unusual Solution: Renting Out Chickens was originally published in Xataka On por Alejandro Alcolea .