JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In recent years, Jacksonville and other cities passed laws allowing people to have backyard hens in residentially zoned areas. Now it turns out, for some, those new rules are paying off.
A Jax Beach husband and wife are using their hens to combat the high prices for eggs at the store.
RELATED: Soaring US egg prices put pressure on consumers, businesses
Some say the high price of “egg-flation” may be the worst the U.S. has ever seen. It’s why some people in Jacksonville and beyond are considering getting backyard chickens.
“Every little bit helps and it’s a fun little hobby that you can do with your kids,” says Dearlove.
Meet Justin Dearlove, his wife, and two boys – They have a chicken coop in their Jax Beach backyard. It’s something Justin always wanted.
“At first I did not get them for the price but it’s working out now,” says Dearlove.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
He never thought his chickens would pay off financially. He got them in March of 2020 before the prices of eggs went up after an outbreak of the bird flu.
Justin says one of the best parts of having chickens is that their waste serves as a great fertilizer. Justin and his family use their chicken waste to help grow their papaya tree.
“I think it’s a good thing, I think people should have chickens,” says Dearlove.
According to this chart from The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, eggs went up in price every single month in 2022. Eggs were $3.42 in October, $3.59 in November, and $4.25 this past December.
This local Publix on Beach Blvd has a carton of one dozen large eggs priced at $6.29.
RELATED: Custom officials seeing spike in egg smuggling at the U.S.-Mexico border as prices soar
On a good week, Justin says his 6 chickens can make him 40 eggs. He shares them with his family and neighbors.
“These guys grew up with eggs in New Zealand and it’s like if you didn’t have chickens, you didn’t eat eggs so she’s a fan of the fresh eggs,” says Dearlove.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.