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Eggs US – Price – Chart

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Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart

#371

Post by cmrdporcupine »

I found this article today in the CBC about why Canada's egg prices have remained reasonable while the neighbouring US has gone crazy interesting: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/egg-prices-avian-flu-canada-u...

TLDR: 1) we still have a bird flu problem, but have smaller flocks in the farms, so the impact of having to do a cull is far far less and

2) we have supply-management for poultry and eggs and dairy (basically a form of central economic planning around a quota system) ... which in good times is a rip-off for consumers [and some farmers] but in bad times... turns out to provide some value (which is why it was rolled out in the first place)

Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart

#372

Post by hammock »

jl6 wrote: post #172
mplanchard wrote: post #18

Fresh, local eggs have remained around the same price here. While more expensive than eggs from large producers in normal times, they are now often cheaper. This is a great reminder of how important it is to support local farmers and small operations, which increase the resilience of the system as a whole.

Are small local farms able to keep producing as normal because the birds aren’t getting bird flu or because they’re not testing/killing them?

Smaller flocks, so the damage of an outbreak is contained

Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart

#373

Post by bluGill »

ars wrote: post #309
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #252

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Free ranging chickens is the proximate cause of Bird Flu Source? Why is it only American free-range egg farms are being affected, while Canada and Mexico’s are being spared?

https://www.timesunion.com/capitol/article/cage-free-egg-bil... "Avian flu experts have called for caution in implementing cage-free requirements, noting that poultry exposed to the outdoors have a higher risk of contracting the virus." https://www.wattagnet.com/poultry-meat/diseases-health/avian... "Incorporating lasers that deter wild bird populations into biosecurity protocols can help prevent the spread of highly…

Immunization isn't just about cost. Many countries have decided meat from vaccinated chickens are not safe to eat and the US exports a lot of chicken to those countries. We cannot vaccinate until the others will allow it.

Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart

#374

Post by latentcall »

I highly highly recommend keeping chickens for those with the ability, space, and time to care for them. You don’t need acres. I was able to do it on a 1/4 acre in my city and as long as you follow the local ordinance you’ll be fine. Getting a half dozen eggs a day at this moment. Happy to answer questions if anybody has any. Been keeping chickens in town for 3 years.

Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart

#375

Post by declan_roberts »

ars wrote: post #186
colonial wrote: post #109

Yup, bird flu moment. I'm very glad my family put up a chicken coop in our backyard years ago; we get a ~carton a day, and they last forever even outside the fridge due to the natural "sealant" still being intact. Hopefully store prices will come down as the year goes on and flocks bounce back.

The commercial eggs also last forever outside the fridge. That thing about the natural sealant is a widely believed myth. Source: I leave my commercial eggs outside the fridge, and they last with zero problems.

I don't think it's a myth compared to unwashed eggs.

You should try leaving washed eggs out on the counter for 20+ days (incubation for a chicken) and see.

Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart

#376

Post by mlyle »

bluGill wrote: post #346
mlyle wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think of it this way. I think the conventional producers were acting to maximize expected profits at the cost of increased volatility in outcomes. Most years these practices have been more profitable.

Conventional producers have been working to contain things like this for year. They don't all succeed, but this isn't the first time eggs have got expensive because of a bird flu, and they have been paying attention to what works. They don't remodel all barns at once to fix the issues, but they have been remodeling barns over the years to prevent this issue.

> Conventional producers have been working to contain things like this for years.

Sure. My point is, what optimizes for average production and profits doesn't necessarily optimize for worst case production and profits. There is a level of care that doesn't pay off most of the time.

Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart

#377

Post by hammock »

TylerE wrote: post #335
whateveracct wrote: post #320

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I avoid name brand stuff, my prices generally aren't bad. Like you said, the local eggs have been stable. Locally sourced chicken also is reasonably priced and often on sale. There was BOGO (mix and match) last week so I got a whole chicken and a 2lb pack of breasts for $12 total. Both beautiful quality. With a bunch of minor cheap produce, herbs, and pasta..that's chicken soup + a chicken one pot meal that'll las…

That is likely to change. Why should they sell a superior product for less?

Why not?

Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart

#379

Post by 1propionyl »

mplanchard wrote: post #350
hwillis wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bird flu has 95% lethality in chickens and takes ~48 hours to kill. It's not like they can get away with ignoring it. Testing happens when you wake up and half your birds are already dead. That said OP is asserting local costs haven't changed without evidence. Even if that were true (and I don't think it is- local farms are also being hit hard eg duck farming in NY) it probably speaks far more to small operations hav…

I was wondering how I could provide evidence for you other than walking to the grocery and taking a picture, but I found at least one of our local farms that has their prices online: https://www.maplewindfarm.com/collections/retail-store -- I'd expect it would be quite easy for them to change their prices on their own storefront and in their farmstand, where I often buy their eggs. A dozen large eggs there right now…

To add to this, checking Craigslist... local chicken owners here are selling their extra eggs for about $7-8 a dozen here as well (20m drive from a major US city).

Only marginally more expensive than store eggs, but a lot fresher, unwashed (will keep for a long while on the counter), and you can see exactly where (and from whom!) the eggs are coming from.

Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart

#380

Post by bink »

ars wrote: post #186
colonial wrote: post #109

Yup, bird flu moment. I'm very glad my family put up a chicken coop in our backyard years ago; we get a ~carton a day, and they last forever even outside the fridge due to the natural "sealant" still being intact. Hopefully store prices will come down as the year goes on and flocks bounce back.

The commercial eggs also last forever outside the fridge. That thing about the natural sealant is a widely believed myth. Source: I leave my commercial eggs outside the fridge, and they last with zero problems.

As I understand it this can be safe or not-so-safe depending on where you live. If you're in the US you're likely buying sanitized eggs, whereas that's not standard practice in most other countries.
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