Price Of Eggs Up 23 Percent

The average price of eggs rose 23 percent in some parts of the U.S. The rise in price is the result of higher costs that farmers must pay for the grains make chicken feed.

Federal policies designed to encourage ethanol production have caused two separate shifts. Corn farmers have been selling more of their harvest to be processed into fuels, and that has driven up the cost of the part of the crop that goes into various animal feeds.

The lure of the ethanol market also has caused many farmers to replant what normally would be soybean acres into corn, Sumner said. The resulting drop in soybean acreage has boosted prices for that versatile crop, which is the other key constituent of henhouse cuisine.

More Chicken Fighting

US authorities have reportedly raided a chicken fighting operation. About 300 chickens were seizes during the operation. The property’s owner was also arrested on animal cruelty charges.

The Jamie Oliver effect

Estate agents in England report a rise in inquiries, particularly from young buyers, for properties where they can keep chickens. Many call the trend "the Jamie effect", believing it to be inspired by the chef Jamie Oliver's recent television investigation into how battery-farmed chickens are treated.

Canned Chicken

A New Zealand company has launched a new idea – canned chicken. The idea is that Canned Chicken is more safe to eat. They say it will reduce the risk of campylobacter-related food poisoning cases in the country.

Giving Up Steak For Chicken

At U.S. stores, a growing number of shoppers are giving up steak for cheaper chicken. Stung by the housing slump, tightening credit terms, and rising inflation, U.S. households are finding ways to cut back, putting a damper on the consumer spending.

Chicken Manure Mistaken For Gas Leak

What many thought was a natural gas leak kept police, emergency crews and gas company workers busy Friday morning in the town of Rockville. The police recieved calls from people all over town reporting the gas odor. The smell was so strong officials at a local school considered evacuating the school. After a few hours of checking, gas company workers determined the odor was not natural gas, but chicken manure. The manure had apparently been spread on a nearby field and the odor was wafting over the town.

Chicken Poo Catapult

A man in England is using a 30ft Roman catapult, loaded with chicken droppings to defend his his company, Grumpy Joe’s Flooring. In the early hours of February 2 arsonists started a fire that caused £2,000 worth of damage. On the same night, four cars outside his daughter’s house had their tyres slashed and windows smashed.

“My daughter lives 12 miles away,” he said. “It’s too much of a coincidence. We are pretty certain it was a rival company, but I can’t prove it.”

He says he did not build up his flooring business in order to let his rivals walk all over him.