The rent-a-chicken trade is booming in the US – here’s why

Egg prices in the United States have become a focal point of political discussion as consumers face prices of up to $8 per carton.

‘Grocery prices have skyrocketed… eggs are up 46%. When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on day one,’ President Donald Trump promised last year. But prices have continued to skyrocket due to increased demand, inflation and avian flu affecting millions of hens.

Trump also made a promise to stop the smuggling of drugs and fentanyl across the border into America if elected. But Trump may have more of an egg problem than a fentanyl problem.

US Customs and Border Protection officers revealed that in 2025, there have been more than 3,200 seizures of eggs crossing the American border, compared to just 134 seizures of fentanyl.

Grocery stores have begun asking customers to buy one dozen at a time (Picture: Getty)

The official CBP website shows that 5,938 egg products and 1,631 pounds of fentanyl were seized coming into the US.

Many Americans who are desperate for cheaper eggs have attempted to carry them across the Mexico border, forcing the CBP to issue a response.

‘Travelers need to be aware that raw egg imports from Mexico are prohibited. Since January area CBP officers have encountered more than 90 people attempting to import raw eggs from Mexico,’ they said.

Fresh eggs, raw chicken and other unprocessed avian products aren’t allowed in the United States from other countries due to fear of diseases, like avian flu.

Prices have got so bad in the US that some Americans have resorted to renting chickens and raising them themselves.

Some customers have begun renting chickens to alleviate the financial burden (Picture: EPA)

A US Department of Agriculture projection issued said prices are expected to increase by 41% this year.

Rent The Chicken in Goffstown, New Hampshire, is offering an alternative to stomaching the skyrocketing cost of buying eggs. Customers can take home two hens for six months for roughly $600, and expect about a dozen eggs a week in return.

Some chicken owners have also begun selling their eggs on Facebook, with one user posting five cartons available and writing: ‘We have fresh eggs and chickens available.’