Rising egg prices leave Oklahomans scrambling for alternatives

Amid an ongoing bird flu outbreak causing a shortage of eggs and higher prices, a local chicken farmer told News 9 on Friday that more people are looking for alternatives. 

Local farmer sees surge in demand

“I've gotten anywhere from 75 to 100 phone calls every day this week asking for eggs because they're trying to source from local farmers instead of from the grocery stores,” said Craig Beam, a chicken farmer who jokingly called himself a “chicken tender.” 

Beam said he has thousands of birds on his farm. 

“My eggs have always been $5 a dozen,” he said.

The cost of raising backyard chickens

Beam shared that starting, raising chickens may not be cheap. 

“You will need a brooder. You will need a chicken coop eventually. You’ll need feeders, your waterers, nesting boxes, etc. That stuff, if you don’t already have it, is very expensive. People joke online that your first chicken egg may cost $2-3,000,” Beam explained. 

For another local owner, the cost seemed manageable. 

“Start-up-cost-wise to get the coop and to get them a run and stuff, you're probably looking about the $500-1000 range -- if you want it to be a really good structure. Of course, you can always DIY your own stuff,” said Christiana Nettey. 

More than just fresh eggs

Nettey explained that she wanted to switch to a more sustainable lifestyle. 

“We thought that starting a garden and getting some chickens to get eggs every day would be better than going to a store to get the eggs that have been processed,” Nettey recalled. 

Regardless of the cost, “If you want to have enjoyment in your life, you want to know where your food comes from, you want to know what goes into that bird; what goes into the eggs, then that’s why you want to raise your own backyard chickens,” said Beam. 

The City of Oklahoma City no longer requires a permit to own backyard chickens. That ordinance took effect in 2022.