Husband and wife Phil and Jenn Tompkins have found a way to bring farm-fresh eggs closer to local kitchens. Their company Rent the Chicken does just that: It lets you rent a chicken coop, complete with birds, for your own backyard.

“We were realizing people wanted a food source closer to their table,” explains Jenn Tompkins.

Rent the Chicken had a soft opening last fall, but didn’t start the first full rental season until this spring. “We had three times the amount of renters as we were expecting,” Tompkins says.

Depending on their eggs needs, renters can choose to house either two or four chickens; the cost for the six-month season is $350 for two chickens or $550 for four..

Each rental comes with a chicken coop and six months worth of food. For an additional $50, renters can upgrade to non-GMO or organic food.

Two chickens will produce eight to 14 eggs per week, while four will produce 16 to 28 eggs per week

“It’s not just about the eggs,” says Tompkins. “It’s also about the experience.”

“We make it so people can try out having backyard chickens,” Tompkins says. In fact, renters who take to sharing their space with chickens can opt to adopt their rental birds.

Currently, rental packages include free delivery within 50 miles of the 16229 ZIP code, in Freeport. Deposits are now being taken for the spring 2015 season.

724-305-0782
or rentthechicken.com

This article appears in Oct 1-7, 2014.

2 replies on “Rent the Chicken lets you rent a chicken coop, complete with birds, for your own backyard”

  1. Moving hens to a new home can stress them and could result in no egg production for up to three months. You can also purchase nice coops for under $500.00 that will last years to come. However, of there are people participating in this program, good for them. If they return the birds, strict biosecurity measures need to be taken.

  2. Thank you for your concerns, Jen! Our hens are transported very safely and as stress free as possible. Sometimes they even lay in transit! We are very aware of bio security and take strict measures upon return. We are giving people an opportunity to experience backyard chickens without the commitment and without the many other obstacles faced when starting a flock.

    “Homestead Jenn”
    Rent The Chicken

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