Egg Price Profiteering Where You Live Due To Coronovirus?

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gtaus said:
Somebody explain to me how in the world the price of eggs can double in the big box stores in the last couple of weeks when I have yet to hear of any chicken die off affecting availability? Are these eggs being stock piled somewhere to create an artificial shortage and drive prices up? The price of my grains and feed has not changed, so it costs me the same to feed my flock. OK, I don't need the $2.00 per dozen for my financial well being, but it helps pay for the chicken feed and my little "hobby" does not cost anything out of pocket.
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The egg price issue has nothing to do with eggs or chickens. It has to do with the mills. Look the feed most of us use is a processed product. The mills that produce that feed are shutdown due to the virus. "But I can get feed in the stores!" Yes and no. Again, for the large producers who buy product by the semi load, they will see the affects first. We on the retail side have a short benefit that the logistics have an inventory of feed. Eventually we will be affected as well.

No feed, then the egg producers are sending their flocks to slaughter IF there is a processor open. With no feed, no eggs. This problem is playing out in the beef industry as well. The fact is we could be in a world of hurt. I have been keeping a keen eye on the virus situation in relation to the MidWest. The average age of a farmer is 66 which is in the target range for those most impacted by CoVid19. Spring planting is coming up shortly. Think the worst sort of Murphy scenario and it could be very bad for us all.

I have increased the amount of feed on hand should we have a retail shortage.
 
maruadventurer said:
The egg price issue has nothing to do with eggs or chickens. It has to do with the mills. Look the feed most of us use is a processed product. The mills that produce that feed are shutdown due to the virus. "But I can get feed in the stores!" Yes and no. Again, for the large producers who buy product by the semi load, they will see the affects first. We on the retail side have a short benefit that the logistics have an inventory of feed. Eventually we will be affected as well.

No feed, then the egg producers are sending their flocks to slaughter IF there is a processor open. With no feed, no eggs. This problem is playing out in the beef industry as well. The fact is we could be in a world of hurt. I have been keeping a keen eye on the virus situation in relation to the MidWest. The average age of a farmer is 66 which is in the target range for those most impacted by CoVid19. Spring planting is coming up shortly. Think the worst sort of Murphy scenario and it could be very bad for us all.

I have increased the amount of feed on hand should we have a retail shortage.
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Agriculture is exempt from the shutdown. If the feed plants shut down, it's because they want to. Ask me how I know. I found out 3-4 weeks ago that I'm an essential employee. Today is 15 days straight averaging 50-60 hours a week. And I've never gotten paid for my eggs either. I raise them for my family and give the excess away. I told my wife that my chickens are a money-losing proposition!
 
gtaus said:
Where I live, the "normal" "pre-Coronavirus" price for a dozen white eggs at the big box stores was less than $1.00. I never decided to have a small backyard flock to save money on eggs. Things have really changed around here in many ways, but also with respect to egg availability at our stores (which I don't understand). Our local stores ran out of eggs, doubled the price per dozen, and limit one dozen per purchase so everyone has a better chance to get some eggs.

Anyway, Dear Wife has been previously selling our excess brown eggs to friends of the family for $2.00 per dozen, which was a good deal for me (they were excess eggs for us), but also for our friends as the pre-Coronavirus price of brown eggs was about $2.50 - $6.00 per dozen, depending on the label. Now, we still sell the eggs for $2.00 per dozen but only to our friends that were buying before this Coronavirus situation. With only 10 hens, it's not like we can supply too many families with eggs.

Somebody explain to me how in the world the price of eggs can double in the big box stores in the last couple of weeks when I have yet to hear of any chicken die off affecting availability? Are these eggs being stock piled somewhere to create an artificial shortage and drive prices up? The price of my grains and feed has not changed, so it costs me the same to feed my flock. OK, I don't need the $2.00 per dozen for my financial well being, but it helps pay for the chicken feed and my little "hobby" does not cost anything out of pocket.

I have decided not to raise my egg prices due to the Coronavirus situation, but I am sure I could get more for my eggs now that the big box store shelves are empty. Just wondering what other people with small flocks and selling eggs are doing in these times, if you are seeing egg shortages at your local big box stores, and if you have raised your egg prices in response. I'm not trying to pass judgement on anyone, and understand the price of eggs varies from region to region, but it would be interesting to hear from others who sell their eggs to family and friends how they are working through these times. Thanks for any feedback.
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Eggs are scarce in the grocery stores here in southern NH too and I don't know why. The first wk I shopped with a mask in the beginning of this thing I noticed too they had huge plastic bags of complete chickens in the cooler. I thought whats going on are they killing all the chickens? Have not had any answers and we're all curious too. So glad we have our 7 sweeties to supply us with their beautiful healthy eggs!
 
Chicken Heel said:
I have not raised the price of my eggs but am giving preference to those folks that have been consistent customers before the stores ran out. People in our area are hoarding everything but Spam. I would hoard Spam before toilet paper especially now that the trees are leafing out.
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I was raised on Spam; we loved it sauteed or Mom made the best sandwich spread with it using sweet pickles, celery, onions and mayo on toasted bread; man it was the best with potatoe chips! That's funny what you said re: trees leafing out! Important with no more Sears catalogs!
 
gtaus said:
Sounds like you are going the extra mile for your mother-in-law. Hope it works out. I think we all need to be extra considerate of others at these times.

Dear Wife was very concerned about our short supply of toilet paper and paper towels at home when she saw the shelves being emptied at the stores. For years, I have telling my wife we should stock up on the non perishables when they go on sale. I just wanted to save money on sale items. We have the extra room to store stuff. But she would never allow it thinking we could always buy whatever we needed when we wanted. Times have changed.....
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My son took us to Duluth once. Amazing altitude and views. Are you near there? Son lives down in Plymouth Minn. He's not too impressed with my chickens! HaHa!
 
There is a video that doesn't exactly explain the reason for egg prices jumping or eggs being hard to find (it pertains to the dairy business) but I think the same principles are involved. It has to do with how the industry is set up to provide different markets with egg based products. This is through Facebook but hopefully will work even if you don't have FB.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=648313036007537
 

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