No need to scramble for eggs when you can rent a chicken

'Rent the Chicken' allows customers to get their hands on fresh eggs without worrying about price hikes or shortages. (Rent the Chicken)

With egg prices soaring, both Americans and Canadians are looking for alternative options. That’s where ”Rent the Chicken” comes in.

The company, which started in the U.S. in 2013, helps customers secure fresh eggs without worrying about external factors.

“Our renters don’t have to be concerned about egg shortages or store prices. They can just walk out to their backyard coop and find their eggs right there, ready for them,” Jenn Tompkins, co-founder of Rent the Chicken, told CTV News.

Rent the Chicken has also been expanding across Canada, making backyard chicken-keeping accessible to families from Toronto to Victoria.

“The rental period starts in May and ends at the end of October,” Homestead Berty, a Rent the Chicken affiliate for the Greater Toronto Area and southern Ontario, wrote to CTV News.ca.

The rising egg prices has hit particularly hard south of the border, with the price of a dozen large eggs reaching as high as US$10 in some regions, according to the USDA report released March 7. For context, that’s more than C$14.

Rent Canadian

The ongoing trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. have sparked a “Buy Canadian” trend to support local businesses, and ‘Rent the Chicken’ ensures that their service keeps everything local.

“The coop is made in Canada. The chickens are Canadian chickens, the feed comes from Canada, and the delivery comes from the local affiliate,” Tompkins said, adding that when a rental is reserved through Rent the Chicken, the deposit is also paid to the local affiliate.

When it comes to pricing, the company says what they offer is more than just egg production. Setting up a home coop from scratch can be daunting, often leading to unexpected challenges—like accidentally raising roosters instead of hens. The company says it’s taking the guesswork out of the process.

“We provide a ready-to-go setup with a high-quality coop, healthy hens, and the right feed,” Tompkins said. “We’ve already made the mistakes, so our renters don’t have to. Our pricing isn’t based on the cost of a dozen eggs at the store. Instead, it’s comparable to what someone would spend setting up on their own, but without the trial and error.”

More than just an egg supply

Through their “Hatch the Chicken” program, customers can also witness the magic of hatching chicks - without the hassle of setting up from scratch.

“People have different reasons why they like to have chickens,” Berty explained. “Some like to try first before they commit to becoming full-time chicken owners. Renters in the city like to show their kids where food (eggs) comes from — and of course, to have true free-range eggs to eat.”

The company says one of the most rewarding aspects of their business is seeing how families connect with their chickens in unexpected ways.

“These are people’s pets. They have names and our customers rent the same chickens again for the next year,” Tompkins said adding that some people even decide to adopt the chickens.

One particularly heartwarming story comes from a family in Toronto who rented chickens during the pandemic. They noticed that, as people began walking more during that time, many would stop by their corner property and linger near the chicken coop.

“As the summer came, they noticed that people were kind of lingering near their chickens, and they put out a bench so that people could stop and visit the chickens,” Tompkins recalled.