Latest news with #Bomgaars
Axios
25-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Egg prices drive up demand for chicks in Des Moines
It's like Black Friday at Bomgaars, but this season, everyone's scrambling for chicks. Why it matters: The cost of eggs is driving people to buy their own backyard flocks. Midwest large eggs were $5.23 per dozen last week, down 39%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but Easter could cause prices to soar again. Average egg prices in 2019 were $1.50 for a dozen. State of play: The demand for chicks is so high right now that there's a long line of people who wait for the weekly shipment at Bomgaars in Des Moines for them, Emma Rice, a supervisor at the shop, tells Axios. Rice, who helps order the chicks, says Bomgaars gets around 2,000 chicks weekly that they split for sale over two days. In the past, they've helped customers preorder chickens from hatcheries, but the demand has been so high that they haven't been able to offer that service this year. People drive from as far as Marshalltown to get chicks, she says. By the numbers: Taking care of hens instead of buying eggs at the store isn't really a cost-saving strategy, according to Jenn Tompkins, co-owner of the backyard chickens company Rent the Chicken, which rents in Council Bluffs. Here's an approximate breakdown of what keeping two backyard chickens looks like: You get eight to 14 eggs a week total during the spring and fall (winter and summer can be slower), if your two hens are younger than three years old, says Tompkins. A coop can cost more than $250. It costs $20 a month for food and upkeep, plus two pints of water a day. Plus: Each city in the metro has its own rules regarding keeping chickens, so make sure you check before you invest. The bottom line: If you do try to get chicks, Rice recommends calling Bomgaars before making the drive and showing up to the store early.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
More people buying chickens to combat high egg prices
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — Some people may be looking to get chickens to combat the recent hike in egg prices. But will that actually save them money?'We went on a vacation and stayed at an Airbnb or Vrbo that had chickens, like, out running in the yard. And it was in the city and super normal,' backyard chicken owner Amanda Beller said. 'So I started checking into it. You check with the city and there are ordinances, and it will show how many feet you need to be from your own house, from neighbors. You send in a quick application. And then every year, I think it's a $10 fee that we pay in the city limits to have chickens. You're limited to four and only hens, no roosters.' Goodwill of the Great Plains showcases new Mission Services Center The downside of having chickens is that you aren't guaranteed eggs all year round.'Winter, when shorter days and colder temps and less time outside, they hardly lay at all in the winter months, especially the shorter days,' Beller said. 'People always ask and say 'oh, you're so smart to get chickens.' Because it's such a value compared to [buying eggs]. But by the time you look at the coop and we feed organic food and treats and, you know, the electricity… probably I'll never make money on my chickens and the eggs.'Bomgaars is selling baby chickens for about $3. Workers say the line always stretches around the store with people eager to buy chickens.'By far, chickens are the most sold item, I'd say during this time of the year, and it gets pretty hectic,' Bomgaars employee Remington Kelbimschmidt said. 'I'd say it's more crazy because it's the start of the season. So people want to rush in to get chickens before it's too late.' With the large amounts of people looking to buy chickens, it's important to remember that they will get bigger and require lots of daily work like any other pet. Morningside students excited for Carnegie Hall performance 'It's a big commitment,' Beller said. 'So you have to make sure that they've got food and water, of course, every day and clean out their coop because they are kind of dirty birds. But also, you know, in wintertime when the temps drop below zero, you can't have your chickens freezing. So I just think, you know, it sounds great in the springtime, but think about all year long or if you travel or when your kids lose interest. Make sure you're making a good choice about having the birds.' If you are still considering getting chickens don't let the cute faces fool you: they're a lot of work. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Local businesses kept busy with dead batteries
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)– After a week of freezing temperatures, many Siouxlanders have had to deal with the dreaded dead battery. Local businesses, including a towing company, told KCAU 9 that it's been a busy week. Siouxland nonprofit providing rental assistance 'Call volume has been pretty high,' said Trey Vanderschaaf, dispatch manager with Stockton Towing. 'Feb. 17 through Feb. 20, 160 jump starts and 350 tows in that three-day span,' While Stockton Towing is able to get most people's vehicles back up and running, others aren't so lucky and end up needing to replace their battery. 'If they don't work, we do offer batteries to sell through Interstate Batteries,' Vanderschaaf said. 'We have batteries here in stock. We could offer those. If that's not an option for them, we will offer our tow service and we can get it towed to wherever they would like it to be.' One busy business this week was Bomgaars, with employees working hard to keep the batteries stocked. Storm Lake looking to educate community about water conservation 'We've been selling batteries left and right,' Parker Kaler with Bomgaars said. 'I mean, everybody's come in here to get a new battery or check the charger in their battery. It's been so cold, those batteries aren't keeping up with the cold. Because it's so hectic, we've been getting a lot of batteries in on the truck, so we're just keeping the shelves full, trying to keep the customers happy.' Stockton Towing recommends drivers get their batteries checked every year due to them having a three to five-year life span. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
