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.

Hatch your own. Why it matters: When egg prices skyrocket, more Americans consider getting — and even renting — backyard chickens. By the numbers: 11 million U.S. households have backyard chickens and 8 million U.