Soaring Egg Prices Fuel Chick Frenzy at Tractor Supply Stores

Chicks, chicks, and more chicks! A crowd of eager customers recently descended on a local Tractor Supply store, all hoping to bring home a few fluffy, feathered egg-layers of their own. The reason? Skyrocketing egg prices are pushing more people to try backyard chicken farming.

“It’s my husband’s fault,” joked one shopper. “The first time eggs went sky-high, he said he wasn’t going to pay $12 a carton. He brought home four chickens. I didn’t believe him—then I fell in love with them.”

That sentiment is catching on. Tamara Alejandra, another customer, already has chickens but came back for more. “They eat all the eggs, and eggs are so expensive. We got them,” she said after waiting two hours in line.

Some shoppers were surprised by just how many chicks people were buying. “I knew there’d be a crowd, but I didn’t know people would be getting like 20 or 30 at a time,” one woman said.

Lindsay Stahl, the store manager, says chick delivery days are always a scramble. “Phones never stop ringing. It’s always about chicks—when they’re coming, what kind we got.”

But beyond the excitement, Stahl warns that raising chickens isn’t as simple as buying a few birds and watching eggs appear. “A lot of people learn quickly this takes time, care, and money,” she explained.

Chickens may offer long-term egg supply savings, but they don’t understand market economics. Whether eggs cost $2 or $12, chickens need feed, shelter, and plenty of attention year-round.

Still, for many families, the wait—and the work—are worth it. (CNN news source)

Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.