What’s REALLY behind the Egg Shortage

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angie_nrs

angie_nrs

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Let me preface this post by saying I know zero about chickens. I get most of my eggs froam a family member who has chickens. However, I buy from the grocery store when I can't get them elsewhere and the prices are sky high here. The cheapest I have seen last week was $3.99 a dozen. That was for organic eggs, which are now cheaper than regular eggs, which makes no sense.

I stumbled across this article and I have been wondering the same thing........Why? Why is the price of eggs so high? I don't buy the narrative about avian flu. It seemed a while back that there was an avain flu (pre Covid) going around that was much worse than this one and it didn't spike egg prices. Although, it did cause chicken prices to rise somewhat. This time around, the egg prices skyrocketed, but chicken prices remained relatively constant. So, that doesn't really make sense to me. I'm left wondering what's really going on?

My thoughts were that egg prices should be one of those things that remain fairly low, considering that many people have their own chickens. Around here, that is becoming more and more common too. I have been considering getting a few of them myself, but just haven't pulled the trigger on it yet. I'm thinking farm stores will be inundated with orders on chicks this spring b/c I'm sure many people are thinking of doing the same thing.

This article is clearly an advertisement for powdered eggs, but there is some interesting tid bits in there as well. Toward the end, it mentioned that this could be tied to Bill Gates and his fertilizers and interests in making faux eggs. That wouldn't surprise me one bit. However, it could very well backfire on him if more people get their own chickens and produce their own eggs. I hope this happens. Still, I'm interested in hearing others thoughts on this situation.......

https://mypatriotsupply.com/blogs/s...jCCO1JuZwZVmAmskkXqeQiPQ3hCjPCXTt8gECO.TLRHJG
 
You use eggs for SO many things, baking, cooking, eating! It's a healthy staple most people use! Eggs are a GREAT source of protein! Remember, the so called vaccines harshly limit how much protein can enter your cells. Do away with red meat and eggs, less protein!! So besides creating fear, and limiting protein, people are going to buy eggs, so a little extra chunk out your wallet!! The short explanation, ONE GLOBAL GOVERNMENT!!
 
I can't make heads or tails on why so high...which drives up the cost of laying hens, too....you can see it at our monthly fowl sale. I don't buy any, and we are self sustaining on our chicken and our eggs, except for the feed. And those prices went up, of course. So I do what I can to supplement feed....cooked rice, pasta, a large pan of cornbread I make daily with protein powder in it. I get the cornmeal mix dirt cheap because it just expired, and I'm using in my expired protein powder and applesauce. Glad I don't have to buy eggs or chicken right now.
 
dademoss said:
Whats "funny" is there are court cases dating back more than a decade for "egg price fixing". Don't they learn, or did they think they had protection ?
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Most of the prosecutions fail in court.

In many cases, the sellers involved are careful enough that they leave little/no evidence of direct discussions on prices.

At most, prosecutors can usually only prove "tacit collusion".

The antitrust laws in the US are actually quite old, arguably out of date and ineffective (the Sherman Act was created in 1890).

Lobbyists in DC make sure the legislators never get around to updating, bringing in new or more effective laws to genuinely protect consumers. Virtually all lobbyists would be instructed by their masters to obstruct any toughening of consumer protection/antitrust laws.

There are currently more than 12,000 lobbyists in DC - they have a budget in the billions of dollars per year.

That buys a lot of influence and indeed almost complete control over most politicians (or is it all).

I expect that when the big lobbyists hear that many people blame Bill Gates or some Global Conspiracy, it must make them smile. It means that no one is going to stop them doing what they do, any time soon.

Lobbying in the US is one of the greatest examples of a profound evil hiding in plain sight.
 
angie_nrs said:
…considering that many people have their own chickens. …
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Many (IMHO) is still a minority of the population. Not enough (again IMHO) to make a difference

My first flock I almost broke even. Flocks 2 & 3 I lost more money. Even with today‘s price for eggs and feed I doubt 2 or 3 more dozen eggs would impact the national weekly market.
 
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I would not want to see egg prices "fixed" by the govt. That'd be no different than nationalizing. In a free market, the govt has no business getting involved in the price. When the price goes too high, people stop buying. I know that I don't make much on my chickens, chicks, or eggs, and I don't care at all. We have them (and turkeys and geese) for our own use first. And that way I know it's always available. I remember people freaking out in Albuquerque after waiting in line over an hour to get into a store, only to find out that there was NO eggs, milk, bread, or meat. So if I want meat, I can butcher my own. I have my own eggs. My cousin trades us raw milk, and I have tons of flour and wheat berries to make my own bread.
 
Amish Heart said:
I would not want to see egg prices "fixed" by the govt. That'd be no different than nationalizing. In a free market, the govt has no business getting involved in the price. .......
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Antitrust laws are not about government fixing the price. Antitrust laws are about preventing the sellers (secretly) colluding together to fix the price. Laws are needed to keep markets genuinely free - mostly because there are so many crooks out there in business that companies cannot be trusted to trade in real competition with each other without a hammer poised over their heads.
 
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I also have been reading about people buying chicken feed and then their hens stop laying. Once people changed up stopped buying certain chicken feeds, their hens started laying again. The chicken feed from TSC was mentioned as one of the feeds that caused the hens from laying. In searching for the information, I've also read it is a conspiracy theory.

https://ussanews.com/2023/01/25/tractor-supply-chicken-feed-scandal-rocks-poultry-industry/

Tractor Supply Chicken Feed Scandal Rocks Poultry Industry!​


Posted on January 25, 2023 by Constitutional Nobody
Written by Steve Cannon for USSA News.
A recent alteration to the popular “Producer’s Pride” chicken feed sold by Tractor Supply has caused chickens to stop laying eggs, according to multiple farmer sources. The reduction in egg production has been reported to be much greater than the normal decrease seen during the winter months, with some farmers reporting that their hens are laying zero eggs.
The cause of the reduction in egg production is still unknown, but some suggest that the feed’s new formulation may have a lower protein content. This news comes at a time when chicken and egg prices have reached historic highs, driven in part by Avian Flu and inflation under the Brandon Administration.
 
Weedygarden said:
I also have been reading about people buying chicken feed and then their hens stop laying. Once people changed up stopped buying certain chicken feeds, their hens started laying again. The chicken feed from TSC was mentioned as one of the feeds that caused the hens from laying. In searching for the information, I've also read it is a conspiracy theory.

https://ussanews.com/2023/01/25/tractor-supply-chicken-feed-scandal-rocks-poultry-industry/

Tractor Supply Chicken Feed Scandal Rocks Poultry Industry!​


Posted on January 25, 2023 by Constitutional Nobody
Written by Steve Cannon for USSA News.
A recent alteration to the popular “Producer’s Pride” chicken feed sold by Tractor Supply has caused chickens to stop laying eggs, according to multiple farmer sources. The reduction in egg production has been reported to be much greater than the normal decrease seen during the winter months, with some farmers reporting that their hens are laying zero eggs.
The cause of the reduction in egg production is still unknown, but some suggest that the feed’s new formulation may have a lower protein content. This news comes at a time when chicken and egg prices have reached historic highs, driven in part by Avian Flu and inflation under the Brandon Administration.
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Saw that over on the SB a few days ago........

I must admit to being a bit surprised that so many people just buy cheap pellets to feed their chickens. I always understood that having back yard chickens is about being more independent, having better quality eggs and making chickens part of a back yard farming system. That would seem to be largely subverted by just buying pellets.

Here is an article about feeding chickens with non-commercial feeds:

https://abundantpermaculture.com/how-to-feed-chickens-without-grain/
My great uncle was a farmer in a very remote area. He fed his flock mostly freshly cut clover that he grew especially for them. With a small sprinkler system, he was able to keep the clover growing virtually all year round. He used a hand/push mower to "harvest" the clover at feeding time.
 
Weedygarden said:
I also have been reading about people buying chicken feed and then their hens stop laying. Once people changed up stopped buying certain chicken feeds, their hens started laying again. ...
The cause of the reduction in egg production is still unknown, but some suggest that the feed’s new formulation may have a lower protein content. ...
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Or... One possibility is those 'feeds' are either contaminated, Directly (or, indirectly, via 'residues' in brans / husks / hulls, etc) by certain chems used in Ag, namely 'OPs' (organphosphates) which are found in some pesticides / herbicides, etc - Which are 'endocrine disruptors' - meaning, they Can have a negative effect on the normal reproductive process, and/or fertility... Which is a rather 'insidious' troublemaker - nothing 'blatantly obvious' like Bird-Flus, etc

..and, mass-produced, 'Popular' (like TSC) Commercial feeds could explain how 'widespread effects' could happen, but.. OTOH - I'm not sure it Could yield Such widespread 'attenuation' - to the point we're seeing it Affect Prices, like near-Everywhere - Besides, it would take a Massive investigation to prove such a theory out, and it's not likely Producers would support such an effort - They likely see it being easier to 'cull and cash-in', via higher prices, etc, for some time..

Dunno, but not Out of the realm of possibility.. Any 'Ag-experts', herein, please feel free to shred / reconsitute my theory. :)

jd
 
Pearl said:
I'll stick to my conspiracy theories 😃
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Me too :thumbs:.
I still believe it is "TP-syndrome".
Articles about 'The great egg shortage' are in everybody's face, everywhere, today.... just like they did with TP.
Millions of people that don't even buy eggs, are rushing out to buy some 'while they still can'.gaah
There was never a shortage of trees, or paper, but yet every store shelf was empty of TP.
The cause was only lunatic demand. :mad:
 
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I can't tell, the girls are almost 10 years old. They get what is advertised as non-gmo food. I do know NOTHING would eat the 💩 I got from Rural King, their "house brand", not even birds would touch it. come spring I may start looking for some chicks. Lori doesn't want any more, but she just got a horse, sooooo :D

1674960673340.png
 
dademoss said:
I can't tell, the girls are almost 10 years old. They get what is advertised as non-gmo food. I do know NOTHING would eat the 💩 I got from Rural King, their "house brand", not even birds would touch it. come spring I may start looking for some chicks. Lori doesn't want any more, but she just got a horse, sooooo :D

View attachment 103273
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You have ten year old hens that are still laying? I have never had my own chickens, but have wanted them since I've left home. I just remember that my Mom and both grandmothers had chickens. I thought that after about 3 years of laying they were done. Then they were stew chickens, used for chicken and dumplings or something similar.
 
SoJer said:
Or... One possibility is those 'feeds' are either contaminated, Directly (or, indirectly, via 'residues' in brans / husks / hulls, etc) by certain chems used in Ag, namely 'OPs' (organphosphates) which are found in some pesticides / herbicides, etc - Which are 'endocrine disruptors' - meaning, they Can have a negative effect on the normal reproductive process, and/or fertility... Which is a rather 'insidious' troublemaker - nothing 'blatantly obvious' like Bird-Flus, etc

..and, mass-produced, 'Popular' (like TSC) Commercial feeds could explain how 'widespread effects' could happen, but.. OTOH - I'm not sure it Could yield Such widespread 'attenuation' - to the point we're seeing it Affect Prices, like near-Everywhere - Besides, it would take a Massive investigation to prove such a theory out, and it's not likely Producers would support such an effort - They likely see it being easier to 'cull and cash-in', via higher prices, etc, for some time..

Dunno, but not Out of the realm of possibility.. Any 'Ag-experts', herein, please feel free to shred / reconsitute my theory. :)

jd
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Occams Razor would say that low protein would explain it.

The effects of that would be almost instant and faster than cumulative poisoning.

Like all things bought by less demanding/discerning parts of markets, the TS feeds would be packed/bulked up with byproducts and fillers they get cheap.

This is what Becky uses:



A lot of chicken productivity and egg quality in home run flocks would come down to climate and environment where they live and how much they are free ranged (which is likely about risk of predation and fencing).

I suspect a lot of the flocks producing no eggs, are in snowy places where winter means 100% pellet diet.

Crappy pellets = No eggs
 
It's pretty difficult to grow anything green where I live from December thru February unless you're heating a building. But the other nine months isn't a problem. I feed our animals lots of green then.
I remember price fixing by the govt in France when I lived there in 1984. Mostly the wine and the bread. And it was made cheap. Problem is, when the govt says you can't charge more than X amt for the product, then the product will have to be made cheaper if the components to make the product goes up in price. Or unavailable. Like sawdust in bread.
 
Eggs are so cheap normally, that even when their price doubles, they're still cheap compared to other foods. We get our eggs from the grocery, and normally we buy the organic, free range, whatever costs the most variety (due to my wife making the choice). So now I am buying the regular store brand eggs at the same or lower price than we used to buy the super-duper ones for. The only difference is that I'm not getting yelled at by the wife for buying the cheaper variety of eggs these days. So we're paying the same or maybe even a little less during this egg crisis. Honestly, I can't really tell any difference between the generics and the super-dupers anyway. Straight out of the chicken and into your hand may be better, but by the time they've been shipped from the farm to some packaging operation and then to the grocery, there's not much difference between cheap and expensive eggs IMHO. What does commercial "free range" mean anyway? The chicken gets 0.26 square feet to wander around in vs. 0.25 square feet for the non-free-range?
 
I haven't checked the price of eggs in the supermarket, as my hens have laid all winter. If I did need any, there are 'egg boxes' which are refilled regularly with a tray of 18. In one small town, it is €3.50, in the larger town, €4.00. You pop in your cash and a door swings open, you take your tray. It's a local supplier, as we live in an area known for poultry. I'm surprised with the price of feed, and us being an island, that these prices haven't gone up. They jumped 50c around the first summer of Covid, as everyone was baking.
Free range here means they can come and go in a field. We are due to buy more meal, so we shall see if the price has gone up. I worked it out during Covid how much 'per egg' we were spending, but to be honest just being able to walk out a fetch a fresh one for a quick lunch or baking, and using the bedding for compost (my soil is bad) is a great benefit. I don't think it actually occurs to my family that eggs are available in a supermarket, tbh. They grew up having hens. Good responsibility for them too.
 
Haertig said:
Eggs are so cheap normally, that even when their price doubles, they're still cheap compared to other foods. We get our eggs from the grocery, and normally we buy the organic, free range, whatever costs the most variety (due to my wife making the choice). So now I am buying the regular store brand eggs at the same or lower price than we used to buy the super-duper ones for. The only difference is that I'm not getting yelled at by the wife for buying the cheaper variety of eggs these days. So we're paying the same or maybe even a little less during this egg crisis. Honestly, I can't really tell any difference between the generics and the super-dupers anyway. Straight out of the chicken and into your hand may be better, but by the time they've been shipped from the farm to some packaging operation and then to the grocery, there's not much difference between cheap and expensive eggs IMHO. What does commercial "free range" mean anyway? The chicken gets 0.26 square feet to wander around in vs. 0.25 square feet for the non-free-range?
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Around here, we can tell the difference between cage, free range and farm/home grown. The yoke to white ratio is different as is the intensity of flavor/color in the yoke.
 
Weedygarden said:
You have ten year old hens that are still laying? I have never had my own chickens, but have wanted them since I've left home. I just remember that my Mom and both grandmothers had chickens. I thought that after about 3 years of laying they were done. Then they were stew chickens, used for chicken and dumplings or something similar.
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I had no idea chickens lived and layed this long. They have slowed down a lot, for sure, and their breaks get longer and longer. We will see what spring brings :)
 
In defense of TSC, and other retailers….. they don’t produce the feed, just sell it. Virtually all feeds come from Cargill and are just packaged differently from the house brand to top of the line labels. or at least that was the situation several years ago when I researched it. Crap products. Yeah. But the stores will sell what their options are.
organic feed here comes from Keystone and no complaints heard from anyone. Good results all around.
Quality in, quality out. Just like the food we choose, or should choose, for ourselves.
 
Tootsie said:
In defense of TSC, and other retailers….. they don’t produce the feed, just sell it. Virtually all feeds come from Cargill and are just packaged differently from the house brand to top of the line labels. or at least that was the situation several years ago when I researched it. Crap products. Yeah. But the stores will sell what their options are.
organic feed here comes from Keystone and no complaints heard from anyone. Good results all around.
Quality in, quality out. Just like the food we choose, or should choose, for ourselves.
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I had thought this was the case, that TSC and other places do not make their own chicken feed as well as many other products. I do know that some people make their own chicken feed mix. I have no memory of feeding the chickens, just gathering the eggs, however, if I was the one going out to gather the eggs, you can count on the fact that I was feeding and watering them at the same time.
 
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