JONESBORO, Ga. — The lines go down the sidewalk before the doors even open - families, backyard farmers, and people fighting high egg prices are here to get a first look.
These early birds get the chicks.
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Kathy Swint called it “our regular chick order day” at Swint’s Feed and Garden Supply in Jonesboro. They started the day with hundreds of tiny 2-day old chicks, and they were all snapped up in 40 minutes.
Phyllis Gardner told Channel 2’s Linda Stouffer that she found exactly what she was looking for.
“We have Lavender Orpingtons, these are Buff Orpingtons. They grow up to be a pretty grey color,” Gardner said.
The chicks are prized for their breeding, colors and the different colored eggs they will eventually produce, but that process can take months.
“It’s gonna cost a lot of money - chicken math is real,” Gardner said.
She cares for her chicks in a puppy crate inside her home for at least eight weeks. Once they are old enough, they join her flock outside. Gardner told us she hasn’t bought an egg in the store for five years.
High egg prices have more people in Georgia looking into backyard chickens. The Department of Labor says the average for a dozen eggs is $6.23, a new record high. Price hikes have been tied to the avian flu.
But before you get fresh eggs, you need supplies. The University of Georgia Extension says you need a plan for housing, food and health and offers a guide for starting your own flock.
It’s important to check with your city, county and HOA on the rules. Backyard chickens are allowed in many Georgia communities, but even where you are permitted to have backyard flocks, some municipalities add restrictions for lot size or require permits for a hen house.
Some communities allow egg laying hens, but not roosters because of the noise.
The supplies can cost several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the conditions and how many chickens you plan to raise.
Swint says there are many reasons people come in for chick day.
“Some are just getting back to nature, just growing their own gardens, or doing their own chicks,” she said.
Gardner added the best thing about having chickens is the enjoyment of having them.
“Just to see them walk around and forage and to get the eggs, it’s just peaceful,” Gardner said. “It just reminds me of my childhood, so that’s one reason why I like it so much.”
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