HAMPTON, Va. — Eggs at the grocery store are going up in price, in part due to bird flu outbreaks across the country. That price hike has some people considering backyard chickens, which have become more mainstream in recent years.
“[Interest] seems to have increased. During COVID, there was a big spike because people were home and they were able to be with their chicks because when they're little, they have to be under heat for six weeks,” said Tara Galvez, co-owner of Yorktown Feed Seed 'N More.
She said lately folks have been particularly interested in expanding their flocks in certain ways.
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“That's increased breeds, colored eggs,” explained Galvez.
And they've been stocking up on supplies.
“We have all the chicken feed, bedding, and all the necessary needs,” said Galvez.
Of course, there's more to raising chickens than just getting feed and supplies.
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“Getting coops that have a size that fits the amount of birds you want, that you can get in easily, clean, and take care of the birds; having space in their backyard for them to run around; having some chicken run areas is always good; and just knowing the needs of the chickens,” said Galvez.
There are other considerations, too, like whether your city even allows backyard chickens. Most areas in Hampton Roads require permits, and some, like Virginia Beach, don't allow chickens unless you live in an agricultural zone. You can find out more by researching your local guidelines.
News 3 stopped to talk to urban homesteader Shai Stewart in Hampton. She started her flock during the pandemic.
“I got chickens because my friends had chickens, to be honest. I wanted to dive headfirst into what homesteading is like,” said Stewart. “Chicken math is a very real thing. You start off with two, and then you’re at six.”
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She said there's been a learning curve.
“Oh yeah, oh yeah. It's been a tremendous learning curve with understanding the proper way to secure them from predators. Being in the city, you wouldn't think we'd have predators, but in Hampton Roads, we have coyotes and hawks. We have to deal with [the chickens] escaping and entering into traffic. There are so many things I had to learn in the first year,” said Stewart.
Luckily, she said her neighbors and kids love her flock.
Her six hens are “on hiatus” this winter and lay around four eggs a day. That number, she said, is more in the warmer months.
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“Then, of course, who doesn't like 'free' eggs, right?” said Stewart.
“You put quotations around 'free.' There's a cost, right?” asked News 3 reporter Erika Craven.
“When you're raising backyard chickens, there's going to be an expense with it,” said Stewart.
Shelter (that can run hundreds or thousands of dollars), care, and Stewart's roughly $45 per month expense in feed can add up quickly.
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“That can be pretty pricey,” said Stewart. “It's really about how you start your process, but if you do it right, the 'free' portion of it you'll be able to see it in a couple years' return. The first thing I tell people, especially when they don't have a lot of money, is to get creative. You don't have to have a Pinterest-pretty chicken coop in order to have a healthy flock.”
Raising chickens is more than just “free eggs” to Stewart.
“They have their own personalities. They clear my land for me. They eat my insects in the summer that I don't want eating my tomatoes and peppers,” said Stewart.
The pastime is worth it to others, too, who are on the list to pick up chicks in Yorktown. Yorktown Feed Seed 'N More is expecting its first batch of baby chicks to arrive March 7.
“Typically, our chickens sell out the first week we get them,” said Galvez.
Both Stewart and Galvez said they're taking precautions to protect their birds against bird flu.
