More over uber, the trend is ‘Chickens for rent’

Move over ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft as renting chickens is the latest trend in the “share economy” in urban settings.

Start-ups are offering hens, coops and even feed for multi-month contracts and are available in a wide-range of cities.

photo wattpublishing www.WATTAgNet.com. via Flickr

Even before the Avian Flu wiped out 10% of U.S. production, there was an increase in “chicken rental” due to the popularity of the yard-to-table lifestyle.

Customers can rent daily egg-laying chickens and a coop for 4-6 months, as well as 100 pounds of feed, enough to last the 4 month period.

Rentals fill the desire of “knowing where my food comes from”, without the hassle of a long term investment, or the 6 months it takes for a chicken to mature to egg-laying age.

The Rent a Chicken service, along with others like it, provide means to daily backyard eggs, however the cost is almost 3 times higher than regular store-bought. This premium price is apparently worth it, “just to know where breakfast came from.”

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photo normanack via Flickr