Egg prices - keep chickens?

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8339 posts

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#3032449 6-Feb-2023 12:53

tdgeek:
Eva888: Timing is everything. Stuff today...Fire at Zeagold a large barn egg laying operation at Orini north of Hamilton.

75000 chickens killed that’s perhaps 65000 eggs a day?

envelope maths says that’s 2-3% of national supply... not huge, but when things are already stretched it could have a much bigger local impact on the Waikato / Auckland region

Eva888

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#3032453 6-Feb-2023 12:54

Why are these egg shortages happening world wide. My news feed is showing this is not just a NZ problem with many places in the US and many other countries also suffering. Also fires at chicken barns.

Google it.

blackjack17

1705 posts

Uber Geek

#3032461 6-Feb-2023 13:04

Eva888: Why are these egg shortages happening world wide. My news feed is showing this is not just a NZ problem with many places in the US and many other countries also suffering. Also fires at chicken barns.

Google it.

Bird flu.

Which we don't have in NZ

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tdgeek

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#3032551 6-Feb-2023 18:52

Eva888: Why are these egg shortages happening world wide. My news feed is showing this is not just a NZ problem with many places in the US and many other countries also suffering. Also fires at chicken barns.

Google it.

Globally, Avian Flu but thats not here. Here, its we banned cruelty 10 years ago.

MikeAqua

7785 posts

Uber Geek

#3032782 7-Feb-2023 10:41

I've read quite a bit on this and it seems there are multiple factors: -

1) Govt changed regs to colony cages as minimum standard and industry sluggish to implement changes

2) Supermakret duopoly sets free range/barn raised as their minimum standard

3) Barn/free fewer eggs per space, so more space needed to produce the same volume of eggs

4) Constraints on availability of suitable land

5) RMA delays - up to 3 - 4 years in some cases

6) People saying F it too hard and exiting the business and selling the land

#2 I suspect is about maintaining x% margin on more expensive eggs = more profit

Classic case of unintended (but obvious) consequences from regulatory change.

I've raised chickens and, in my experience, the biggest determinant of egg quality is what you feed them. They get very nice yolk if they have access to grass/weeds etc.

We used the rotational permaculture method for our vege-garden on the farm growing up, that included the chickens doing a rotation in each garden unit after it been harvested and before it was sown/planted. Amazing yolk colour.

Mike

KrazyKid

1238 posts

Uber Geek

#3032791 7-Feb-2023 10:54

Add Covid to the list of causes to the current shortage. in 2020 when the borders shut we had a massive oversupply and eggs were being sold at a loss.
Flock size reduced.
Firms did not have capital to invest in the 2 years prior too the law change.
Not the main factor, but didn't help.

Batman

Mad Scientist
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#3032801 7-Feb-2023 11:19

MikeAqua:

I've read quite a bit on this and it seems there are multiple factors: -

1) Govt changed regs to colony cages as minimum standard and industry sluggish to implement changes

2) Supermakret duopoly sets free range/barn raised as their minimum standard

wait -

so colony eggs are legal but supermarkets won't sell them?

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surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#3032806 7-Feb-2023 11:39

Batman:

wait -

so colony eggs are legal but supermarkets won't sell them?

Yes, some supermarkets won't sell them.

Some still do, eg, our local New World sells colony eggs.

johno1234

2814 posts

Uber Geek

#3032817 7-Feb-2023 12:08

surfisup1000:

Batman:

wait -

so colony eggs are legal but supermarkets won't sell them?

Yes, some supermarkets won't sell them.

Some still do, eg, our local New World sells colony eggs.

As do many butchers.

KrazyKid

1238 posts

Uber Geek

#3032818 7-Feb-2023 12:11

Supermarkets have said they won't sell colony eggs from 2025 and 2027 for countdown and foodstuffs respectively. Currently they do sell colony eggs, but that will change in a few years.

This upcoming change is causing issues for suppliers who inverted in colony systems then for the rules changed, and requires any new farms to be more expensive as colony systems are cheaper.

blackjack17

1705 posts

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#3032820 7-Feb-2023 12:18

surfisup1000:

Batman:

wait -

so colony eggs are legal but supermarkets won't sell them?

Yes, some supermarkets won't sell them.

Some still do, eg, our local New World sells colony eggs.

They are being phased out

Countdown and Foodstuffs, that they will only sell free range or barn eggs from 2025 and 2027 respectively.

https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/supermarkets-make-egg-production-clucking-difficult

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MadEngineer

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#3032846 7-Feb-2023 14:36

When I visited the Hamilton gardens a number of years ago they had a sectional raised garden with a chicken coop sitting on one of the four quads. They’d rotate the chickens onto last season’s veges to both weed and fertilise the soil.

Genius.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

Coon

97 posts

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#3032999 7-Feb-2023 18:40

On topic

https://youtu.be/hSvhneC5VCY

tdgeek

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#3033022 7-Feb-2023 19:28

Coon: On topic

https://youtu.be/hSvhneC5VCY

Mark from SSM is great, but in todays world, it often doesnt work

MikeAqua

7785 posts

Uber Geek

#3033302 8-Feb-2023 11:57

blackjack17:

They are being phased out

Countdown and Foodstuffs, that they will only sell free range or barn eggs from 2025 and 2027 respectively.

https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/supermarkets-make-egg-production-clucking-difficult

Which means you wouldn't invest your capital in upgrading your farm to colony systems. You would either wind up the business or go directly to barn or free range systems.

Mike

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