Egg prices too high? Here's how a NYC firefighter solved the problem
NEW YORK - The rising cost of eggs has been frying the nerves of grocery shoppers across the country. A New York City firefighter and his family found their own solution: Get some chickens.
Firefighter Tommy Layne never planned on being a chicken farmer. It began last Easter when he brought home some chicks. They started as pets, and became family.
Chickens as pets
"The kids wanted a dog for Easter, so they got chickens instead," he told CBS News New York. "They're like the size of little dogs too. They're not small. They're pretty cool pets. I like them a lot."
Of course, the kids named the chickens, because kids always do. One is named Jordan, because he "jumped so high," according to one of Layne's young sons.
These feathered family members are already pulling their weight because every morning, instead of rushing to the store for overpriced eggs, the Layne family just walks to their backyard on Staten Island and gathers their breakfast.
"I felt like if I have this nice little pet, it's going to give me that, and I don't have to worry about it. I don't have to pay for them, no matter how high they go. It doesn't bother me," Layne said.
"The world's kind of going a little too fast now. Technology's gotten crazy. Everybody's in a rush. This kind of brings us back a little bit, which is really, really cool. I enjoy it a lot."
How much does it cost to raise chickens?
Layne said it costs about $20 a month to feed the chickens. He estimates it saves his family about $120 a month.
"With the rising prices of eggs and everything, it's really paying off," he said.
It turns out it's not just about fresh eggs or saving a few bucks. They're teaching their kids something more valuable.
"They're helping with taking care of lives and they're getting something out of it. They get to eat delicious eggs from them," Layne explained.
"It's like an egg maker machine," one of his sons said.
And at a time when they cost this much, it's a machine that pays for itself, one egg at a time.
