{"id":844,"date":"2025-07-30T12:00:40","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T12:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agencywebdesigners.com\/?p=844"},"modified":"2025-07-31T14:25:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T14:25:23","slug":"egg-price-hikes-drive-coloradans-to-raise-backyard-chickens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.agencywebdesigners.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/30\/egg-price-hikes-drive-coloradans-to-raise-backyard-chickens\/","title":{"rendered":"Egg price hikes drive Coloradans to raise backyard chickens"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the Fleischer Family Farm<\/a> in Lakewood, fresh eggs are among the fastest sellers at the Saturday market.<\/p>\n

The eggs simply taste better compared to ones that are factory-farmed, according to Paul Fleischer, who runs the business with his wife, Chelsie. The eggs are more flavorful, the yolks are a deeper yellow, and many who have made the switch to pasture-raised notice the fluffier texture of the eggs when they\u2019re cooked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s also some sort of inherently positive feeling that you get from supporting a local farmer or even raising them on your own,\u201d Fleischer said.<\/p>\n

Egg lovers may have extra motivation to shop local these days. Over the past few years, a deadly strain of bird flu has disrupted the commercial U.S. egg supply, sending prices soaring \u2014 at one point by as much as 49% in a year. In addition, the cage-free egg law and general inflation contributed to the hike.\u00a0While grocery stores imposed limits on the number of eggs customers could buy, shelves went bare, and some restaurants tacked on surcharges for egg-based dishes.<\/p>\n

\"Visitors
Visitors to the Saturday market at Fleischer Family Farm find fresh eggs and spring produce on May 31, 2025, in Lakewood, Colorado. (Photo By Kathryn Scott\/Special to The Denver Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Prices have recently eased. A dozen Grade A large eggs averaged $5.12 in April, down from $6.23 in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a>. Still, that\u2019s significantly higher than the $1.63 average in May 2022.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, interest in local eggs \u2014 and local food, in general \u2014 has grown. Sometimes, Fleischer said, that means shopping at a nearby farmers market. Other times, it means setting up a coop just steps from your kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like there\u2019s a big movement and interest in people wanting to go back to the land and provide for themselves,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

To help meet that demand, Fleischer, a former teacher, has been leading \u201cBackyard Chicken Keeping 101\u201d classes, which frequently sell out as interest continues to trend upward.\u00a0The class covers chicken basics, and everything from coop preparation to food, supplements and treats, choosing the right bird, and compliance with your local municipalities.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s tricky to pin down exact numbers on backyard chicken keeping, but here\u2019s a surprising stat: About 11 million U.S. households have backyard chickens, and 8 million consider them pets, according to the latest figures from the American Pet Products Association<\/a>. That\u2019s a big jump from 2018, when just 5.8 million households had chickens in their yards.<\/p>\n

While many people are raising hens to collect their eggs \u2014 and maybe generously sharing with friends and neighbors \u2014 farm-fresh options are also available at local farmers markets and roadside stands.\u00a0In Colorado, small-scale flock owners can sell up to 250 dozen eggs per month, as long as they meet the state\u2019s handling and labeling requirements, per the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. No license is needed if you\u2019re selling eggs directly to the end consumer. But if you\u2019re hoping to stock a restaurant or grocery store, you\u2019ll need an egg producer and dealer license.<\/p>\n

\"Niko
Niko Garcia Ben\u00e9t, 13, feeds dried mealworms to chickens through a window cut out in a fence at a home in the Alamo Placita neighborhood in Denver, on June 20, 2024. (Photo by RJ Sangosti\/The Denver Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the pandemic, Lakewood resident Elaine Harper and her family decided to get more self-sufficient, starting by expanding their garden. She took one of Fleischer\u2019s chicken classes in May 2023, and by the following February, their backyard had four chickens. Another two joined that summer.<\/p>\n

Her family collects between four to six eggs a day, which is enough for their breakfast sandwiches on sourdough, pancakes, baked goods (she swears the eggs make the best brownies) and more. Beyond her family of four, Harper is able to share the bounty with her neighbors and parents, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could blindfold test me and I\u2019d know which is which,\u201d Harper says of her home-laid eggs versus store-bought.<\/p>\n