Egg prices skyrocket in California as new chicken housing law takes effect

a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

Where can you eat 6 meals (if you eat 2 eggs at a time) for $6? Nowhere....So the eggs aren't that bad of a price even at that, correct? The only reason you think it is high is because you are used to paying $2 for them....Which by comparison, what is the big deal with $4 more? I would rather see humane housing for animals and pay a little more to be sure they aren't being treated like a villain when these animals are putting a roof over these farmers heads....But that is just my humble opinion of course.

I just picked up five dozen eggs from a woman I know, it cost me ten bucks. There are ten chickens in an eight foot times 12 foot coup and they have nesting areas and ramps. They don't want to go outside the coop at all, they are brown chickens and don't like all the white snow. But they go out all summer during the day if it is a nice day.

These chickens eat good food and she doesn't make anything on the eggs overall, but selling some helps with the cost of keeping the chickens. They are more pets than anything. After they quit laying, she still keeps the chickens and feeds them. Sort of like Social security.

I've seen the crowded cages at my uncles long ago, the chickens with big bald spots from other chickens pecking their feathers off. Even his egg cages had room for the chickens to move around though, probably equivalent to what the new law requires. I felt sorry for his chickens though. Three to four chickens to one of those cages is what he had and the chickens did not have a lot of room to walk around.

I wouldn't think that the extra costs acquired would increase costs of eggs much. I think there is a little temper tantrum going on and they decided if people are going to force them to make the changes, the egg producers are going to make them pay big time.

You have to also remember, if the price of eggs from the farmer goes up 50 cents, the wholesaler raises it 15 percent and the store also raises it possibly 20 percent because things run on a percentage. So a fifty cent raise comes to maybe an 18 cent markup on 50 cents.

These producers had a while to do this and many of them already had this in place. Maybe six big producers caused this increase.

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

I feel for the people just scraping by with their food budgets, they will be the ones to suffer.

But if you ran the businesses you would still hike up the prices right?

Of course, what choice would I have.

a reply to: rickymouse

I wouldn't think that the extra costs acquired would increase costs of eggs much. I think there is a little temper tantrum going on and they decided if people are going to force them to make the changes, the egg producers are going to make them pay big time.

Bingo!

And I am sure the price won't come back down if they continue to make the same if not more profit.

originally posted by: Yeahkeepwatchingme
a reply to: PraetorianAZ

Exactly, they're good for eggs and helping with minor pest control. My aunt had a bunch of them that she kept for eggs and she always was so proud that they helped get rid of the little bugs that attacked her plants. Thanks for bringing that up, that's another plus to owning your own

Plus, as they get older and you end up with some chicks to replenish your egg layers, you can take the chickens you dislike and convert them to tasty Sunday dinners, while keeping the pet chickens to a ripe old age, unless the owls or hawks get 'em first.

"You remember pecking the crap out of me this summer? Got a bag of flour with your name on it!"

originally posted by: Chrisfishenstein
a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

Where can you eat 6 meals (if you eat 2 eggs at a time) for $6? Nowhere....So the eggs aren't that bad of a price even at that, correct? The only reason you think it is high is because you are used to paying $2 for them....Which by comparison, what is the big deal with $4 more? I would rather see humane housing for animals and pay a little more to be sure they aren't being treated like a villain when these animals are putting a roof over these farmers heads....But that is just my humble opinion of course.

Very true.
But four dollar gas is cheap to and people still bitch about the price.
$2 egg up to $6 equals $3 gas going to $9

All I am saying is that changes and regulations have consequences. People better be prepared for the changes.

a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

Ya poor businesses, no choice but to raise the price.

While I am sure there is a small few in that boat, I highly doubt those selling in chain grocery stores are.

originally posted by: Hoosierdaddy71
a reply to: Edumakated


I'm not going to play the political card on this one. I think most everybody wants the animals treated better. They just had no clue how it would hit them where it counts in the end.
Whats that old expression? Nobody wants to see how the sausage is made.

But see that is the problem. They never seem to have a clue about where it is going to hit them. It is always about what makes them feel good. The can never see past their own desire to feel like they did something even if that "something" which typically means more regulations usually winds up hurting the very people they are trying to help which is usually the poor.

originally posted by: Hoosierdaddy71
This will not stop at just egg prices. Lots of things are made with eggs as an ingredient. Cakes and pies for example. Maybe those manufactures will get their eggs somewhere else though.
I feel for the people just scraping by with their food budgets, they will be the ones to suffer.

This is the law of unintended consequences. IMHO, people who clamor "there aught to be a law" for every perceived misdeed or perceived injustice rarely think through the practical ramifications, impact, or costs of said laws.

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

Ya poor businesses, no choice but to raise the price.

While I am sure there is a small few in that boat, I highly doubt those selling in chain grocery stores are.

When their product costs go up, they raise prices. Thats a pretty simple formula and how I run my business.

There is a famous case study used at MBA programs on chickens. Basically involves the cost effectiveness of removing the chicken beaks. The chickens fight a lot and farmers were losing a lot of animals in fights. One approach is to remove the beaks. another involved the invention of some goggles that go on the birds to keep them from fighting.

a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

So ya, it all comes back to the companies raising the prices for the eggs.
It's not a product that is going up for them.

They don't want to lose money for having to treat the chickens humanly and now are causing a snowball.

But of course it is all the peoples fault.

Socialize the loses, privatize the profit.

a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

Yep, but their changes could enforce more expensive eggs for the rest of us since Cali imports a lot of its eggs from the rest of the US. If the other egg sellers want to sell to Cali, they will have to abide by Cali's egg rules.

So, yay for them. I really don't want to pay $5 for a carton of eggs. They are one of the few cheap sources of protein left.

a reply to: Edumakated

Yup! I've read about the chicken goggles before, they prevent their eyes from being pecked at. I don't eat meat but I do eat eggs and if I could I'd have a few chickens (association rules prohibit animals unless they're dogs and cats). They're very economical and honestly it can be very fun.

originally posted by: kamatty
get your own chickens, I have 6 we feed them our scraps minus any meat and also buy them corn, 6 frsh eggs every morning for the grand price of free (my favorite price)

That works right up until the food police come and tell you that chickens are farm animals that can't be kept in an urban setting or some other BS.

How about this for an idea? Instead of letting the price of eggs go up we take the cost difference from the profits of the egg moguls? You can't reduce the profits of egg barons now can you? They wont be able to buy that boat for their 4th vacation home.

originally posted by: Yeahkeepwatchingme
a reply to: Sremmos80

I think it's hypocritical. Wanted better conditions but hate the slight increase. The whole system needs to be changed and not just the farming system.

Ha! Slight?!

A $4 increase is not slight when you are trying to feed a family on a very limited budget. That eats up a significant portion of the weekly food money and not everyone voted for the measure. I know I didn't and if the idiots in Cali force my prices out here to rise by default ... I get to complain all I want.

a reply to: ketsuko

True there's always loopholes they use to keep people buying food from them. To me food independence is very important and producing your own is a great idea, not only for the food but because it can be fun, and a great learning/group activity.

originally posted by: theMediator

originally posted by: Edumakated
This is a prime example of how liberals are often their own worst enemy.

Yes empathy is our worst enemy...and we are damn proud of it!!

Yep too bad you care more for animals than your fellow human beings who have mouths to feed.

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

I feel for the people just scraping by with their food budgets, they will be the ones to suffer.

But if you ran the businesses you would still hike up the prices right?

Have to. How else am I going to cover the cost of redesigning my entire business? You think new cages is cheap?