Want to Beat High Egg Prices? Try Urban Egg Farming in Louisiana

The latest economic news regarding the price of eggs in Louisiana is not encouraging. Folks in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, and Shreveport are paying on average $5.59 for a dozen eggs. Those high prices have prompted Waffle House Restaurants in Monroe, Alexandria, and Lake Charles, as well as other locations to add a .50 cent egg charge to your ticket if you order eggs.

The main reason for the much higher than anticipated egg prices is the current outbreak of bird flu. That coupled with supply chain issues and a few other smaller concerns have really "raised the roost" and made most Louisiana mornings anything but "over easy".

Eggs are a staple in the Louisiana diet, as they are for most cultures around the world. Just about every cooking discipline from the Far East to the Midwest includes eggs. Naturally, the higher cost of eggs is going to lead to a higher cost of the finished product, hence the Waffle House decision to add a surcharge.

Is It Legal To Raise Chickens in Your Backyard in Louisiana?

For the most part, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. Since Louisiana is home to so many smaller communities that are more agrarian in their lifestyle the sight of chickens roaming in a yard or in a fenced-in pen is a common occurrence. We have the legal ramifications broken down by city later in this article.

How Much Does It Cost To Start Raising A Backyard Flock of Chickens in Louisiana?

KNOE TV in Monroe looked into that issue and they figured $2,500 as the cost for the initial start-up. Then you have your monthly expenses for feed and upkeep. If you do the math you could purchase about 420 dozen eggs at current market value for the cost of setting up your own henhouse.

I will leave it up to you if you think that's economically feasible for your current state of "egg-flation". But here is some other basic math on the subject, if you eat a dozen eggs a week, it would take you about eight years to "consume the cost" of growing your own.

Now if you consume a lot more eggs than that or you happen to be in a business where large quantities of eggs are used, the economic feasibility lines up to be a lot more favorable to you. According to the website Daily Meal, the average human consumes about 280 eggs a year. That's not just eggs, but dishes that include eggs in them.

Is It Legal To Be an Urban Egg Farmer in Louisiana?

If you live out in the country or a small town, the law isn't going to be an issue for you. However, if you want to raise chickens and harvest your own eggs and happen to live in a more urbanized area of the state, say New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, or another larger community will you still have the same freedom to raise "a farm animal" in a neighborhood?

Based on our research I don't think you'll run into as much pushback from your local government as you will from your neighborhood Home Owner's Association. From what we understand, the laws are pretty clear, the HOA bylaws, not so much. So, before you invest in a coop and some birds, make sure Karen and the crew at the HOA are good with it too.

Assuming you've calmed down Karen at the HOA, next comes the question of "Is it legal". Here's what we found out regarding the question of legally raising chickens in your backyard in Louisiana's largest cities.