Egg-streme Measures: Scrambling for Eggs? Rent the Chicken Has You Covered!

With supermarket egg aisles looking more like barren wastelands and prices soaring to dizzying heights, breakfast lovers are facing a yolky dilemma. But fear not—because where there’s a shortage, there’s innovation, and this time, it clucks!

Enter Rent the Chicken, the egg-straordinary company that has been solving food insecurity one backyard at a time for the past 12 years. Instead of fighting over the last dozen at the grocery store, customers can now hatch a plan of their own—literally—by renting two egg-laying hens, a portable chicken coop, and enough feed to keep their feathered friends well-fed for months. And the best part? These chickens come prepped and ready to lay, promising fresh eggs within just two days of arrival. No lines, no limits, just fresh, homegrown goodness every morning.

From Cluck to Cup: A Backyard Breakfast Revolution

As egg prices continue to break the bank, with a staggering 53% increase since January 2024 and another 15% spike in just the past month, Rent the Chicken has become a beacon of hope (and breakfast stability) for families nationwide. Co-founder Jenn Tompkins says the company’s phones are “ringing off the hook” as demand skyrockets.

“Our online inquiries are filling up very quickly as well,” Tompkins shared. “We will run out of hens available for rent. If anyone is interested, they should put in their reservation sooner rather than later.”

For around $500, customers get a six-month rental period with everything they need to enjoy farm-fresh eggs daily. That averages out to roughly $20 a week—comparable to the cost of premium eggs at the store, minus the uncertainty and panic-buying.

More Than Just a Breakfast Fix

Beyond providing a reliable source of eggs, Rent the Chicken is also offering something unexpected—emotional support. “The chickens provide a level of therapy that people didn’t know they needed,” Tompkins told Axios.

Turns out, backyard hens are more than just breakfast machines—they’re companions, entertainers, and surprisingly affectionate little creatures. And for those who get attached (because let’s face it, naming your chickens is practically inevitable), there’s good news: adoption is an option! If customers decide they can’t bear to part with their feathered friends at the end of the rental period, they can officially make them part of the family.

Egg-onomics 101: Why the Shortage is No Yolk

The U.S. is currently grappling with its worst avian flu outbreak in history, with more than 153 million cases found in poultry and over 120 million birds lost since 2022. Egg-laying hens have been particularly hard-hit, with a devastating 45 million wiped out in just the past few months. The result? An egg supply crisis unlike anything seen before, with no clear end in sight.

“We’ve lost a significant amount of production, more than 13%,” said Eggs Unlimited Vice President Brian Moscogiuri. “It’s just a disaster right now because this virus is in three of the top egg-laying states in the country. It doesn’t seem like it’s stopping anytime soon.”

With grocery store shelves looking bleak and prices cracking under pressure, it’s no wonder backyard chickens are having a moment.

Flipping the Script on Food Insecurity

Despite the egg-flation woes, Rent the Chicken isn’t positioning itself as a rebellion against high prices—it’s offering something deeper: food security and self-sufficiency.

“We’re not coming against the high price of eggs,” Tompkins explained. “We are solving a problem of food insecurity; of not having eggs on the shelf. People can have eggs in their backyard.”

It’s a message that’s resonating with customers across the country. For many, renting chickens isn’t just a clever workaround to grocery store woes—it’s an empowering, hands-on approach to food production that puts the power back in their hands (and coops).

So, if you’re tired of playing hide-and-seek with the egg aisle, maybe it’s time to ruffle some feathers in your own backyard. After all, there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of cracking open an egg you harvested yourself. Breakfast, as they say, is served!