As the steward of four sweet but dimwitted birds who comprise the egg factory in my backyard, it’s not as cheap as you’d think. But with egg prices as high as a buck an egg in some places, it’s at least worth considering.

Pasture-raised hens aren’t any more immune to bird flu, and their premium eggs aren’t getting cheaper. But these prices have held steady while conventional egg costs explode.

The billionaire Tesla CEO and White House adviser is the de facto leader of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), putting him at the center of the administration’s efforts to cut costs and dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce.

Egg prices likely aren’t going down anytime soon, leading some consumers to look for alternatives. For some, that includes buying their own chickens.