Cost of Eggs Leaves Consumers Clucking

Now, "your producers are doing so well they don't need us," Fuchs said. "Nobody can pay these prices."

Seizing the opportunity, Hibberd, although still in debt, added 20,000 hens in October. He enjoys working with the birds, which bob and squawk all day like scratchy chorus singers. "At night, there's no sound. I always loved that," Hibberd said. "You walk in after dark, and they're sleeping. They purr."

Norma Jean Young is still buying three to four dozen a week, but she is changing the way she manages the family's food.

With her husband's income as a lawyer and her nurse's salary, the family is comfortable but careful about spending. Their prescription co-pays are higher, their oldest son starts college in the fall and a recent trip to BJ's warehouse in Alexandria for groceries hit $450.

"Our food bill has climbed, and our bag count has gone down," Young said.

So if her four boys want frozen pizza, and it's not on sale, they must track down the coupons. She has stopped taking the kids to the food aisles with her because she feels uncomfortable saying no. She's trying harder not to let produce go bad and points out leftovers on plates. And she is quietly holding back a few eggs on big Sunday breakfasts for six.

"If you had a whole big smorgasbord, you would crack 14 or 16 for scrambled eggs, in addition to pancakes or whatever you're making. Now I pretty routinely go about 10," Young said. "I'm buying more at the need level than at the want level."