Rollercoaster prices for eggs over the last few years have many of us looking for a bargain. But there are a few ways to get your eggs for free.
Between the pandemic, bird flu, and the spike in egg prices, more people in the Boston area are raising their own hens.
The Doherty family in Franklin knows that when they hear the right squawk, one of their 14 hens will leave them a present. On average, they say they get 10 eggs every single day, dozens each week!
“The first time egg prices really started to surge. I made a joking comment, you know, with the money we’re spending on eggs, we might just want to build a coop and get our own chickens,” Sean Doherty told Boston 25.
The Coop Route
He built a smaller coop, then decided to make a bigger one and post the original online. Before they family knew it, they had dozens of people asking for co-ops of their own.
Eventually, Sean left his job in the mortgage sector to build co-ops for other local families full time. Island Custom Coops has such a big social media following, the family is considering bringing on more employees to keep up with the demand.
“The interest has definitely increased with the price in eggs going up,” Doherty says.
Doherty explained upfront costs can be steep, averaging thousands of dollars, depending the size and detail of the coop you want.
“It’s a big initial investment. But after that, they pretty much pay for themselves,” Doherty said. The family says they sell enough of their excess eggs to cover the cost of the feed. They said the chickens are actually very low maintenance – easier to care for than their dog, according to Glauci Doherty. And she says they even eat backyard bugs.
“Having chickens brought so much in our lives, not only just like the eggs, but the lifestyle, the food that we eat. We became a lot more aware of what is in our food,” Glauci said.
Supermarket Saavy
Not everyone has the time space or desire to raise their own chickens, but supermarket shoppers can get their eggs for free, too.
“I try not to pay for eggs. How in the world do you do that?” quipped Consumerworld.org founder Edgar Dworsky.
Dworksy helped draft the Massachusetts Item Pricing Law that makes sure you’re not overpaying.
“With egg prices rising so quickly, some stores are not very good about putting new price signs on the shelves. So double check the price. Take the eggs up to the aisle scanner. See what they scan. And if it’s a higher price than the shelf label, buy it and you’ll get it for nothing!” explained Dworsky.
Arguing your case at checkout may not be the easiest thing to do, especially if a bunch of shoppers are lined up behind you. But Dworsky says, it’s your right to pay the price that’s posted, so you shouldn’t shy away.
Think Outside the Box
He says supermarkets aren’t the only option either.
“You don’t think of buying eggs at CVS, but if they have a 40% off coupon, use that 40% offer on the eggs,” explained Dworsky.
Whether it’s the aisle or your backyard, buying eggs doesn’t have to break the bank.
“You know it’s always a great feeling opening up the nesting box and seeing, you know, six, 12, 18 eggs if we haven’t collected in a day. And. Just being able to know that we’ve always got that, that steady food source,” Sean Doherty said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW