Egg prices drive up demand for chicks in Des Moines

• Midwest large eggs were $5.23 per dozen last week, down 39%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but Easter could cause prices to soar again.
• Average egg prices in 2019 were $1.50 for a dozen.

State of play: The demand for chicks is so high right now that there's a long line of people who wait for the weekly shipment at Bomgaars in Des Moines for them, Emma Rice, a supervisor at the shop, tells Axios.

• Rice, who helps order the chicks, says Bomgaars gets around 2,000 chicks weekly that they split for sale over two days.
• In the past, they've helped customers preorder chickens from hatcheries, but the demand has been so high that they haven't been able to offer that service this year.
• People drive from as far as Marshalltown to get chicks, she says.

By the numbers: Taking care of hens instead of buying eggs at the store isn't really a cost-saving strategy, according to Jenn Tompkins, co-owner of the backyard chickens company Rent the Chicken, which rents in Council Bluffs.

Here's an approximate breakdown of what keeping two backyard chickens looks like:

• You get eight to 14 eggs a week total during the spring and fall (winter and summer can be slower), if your two hens are younger than three years old, says Tompkins.
• A coop can cost more than $250.
• It costs $20 a month for food and upkeep, plus two pints of water a day.

Plus: Each city in the metro has its own rules regarding keeping chickens, so make sure you check before you invest.

The bottom line: If you do try to get chicks, Rice recommends calling Bomgaars before making the drive and showing up to the store early.

• Other shops around Des Moines also sell them, including Fleet Farm and Tractor Supply.