First the panic-buyers went for the toilet paper, then the hand sanitiser and the pasta.
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Now they've come for the chickens. That is, the live variety.
As people prepare to bunker down for the foreseeable future in self-isolation, many are looking to become self-sustainable in their food supply.
Poultry breeders have reported a spike in the number of people wanting backyard chickens for their homes in order to have their own eggs.
Murrumbateman poultry breeder Anita van Doren said she had been swamped with calls from Canberrans wanting chickens for their home.
While Ms van Doren said she normally begins breeding chickens for sale in early spring, the surge in demand meant she had to turn incubators on several months early.
The first of the new chickens are expected to hatch later in April.
"The demand was like an early spring, but right now there won't be the eggs to accommodate," she said.
"When the panic-buying set in and people were having to get resourceful and everyone throught of buying plants and vegetables for their gardens, they were also thinking of getting chickens."
Normally running a beauty salon out of her home for her day job, Ms van Doren said the order to close the salon by the federal government due to social distancing measures meant her hobby of poultry breeding had become her main job for the months ahead.
In the more than 12 years she has breeding chickens, she said she had never seen such a surge in interest for backyard chickens, fielding dozens of calls a day.
"It's been a happy mix of people, from retired folks who have land and time and space to devote, right through to young families who want their children to have an educational experience or young couples taking on a new venture," Ms van Doren said.
The poultry breeder said she normally sells one-day-old chicks to buyers, and that it would take between four and five months for them to lay eggs.
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"People would have to be patient as well as provide heat, food, water and protection," she said.
While poultry breeders say there's been an uptake in sales of chickens for their homes to have their own egg supply down the track, Australia's egg industry has said there was no issue with supplies.
Australian Eggs managing director Rowan McMonnies said while supermarkets had limited the amount of eggs that could be purchased, there was no impact on production.
"Australia's 21 million hens are still laying eggs and farmers and working around the clock to get those eggs to their customers," he said.
"We're confident of maintaining steady supply through autumn and winter and there will be eggs readily available when the short-term stockpiling and panic buying stops.
"Egg farmers are concerned about the potential impact of coronavirus on their staff and wider supply chains but there have been no reports of disruptions across the industry."
With people spending more time at home due to coronavirus isolation, Ms van Doren said having a chicken to care for was a great way to spend time, even better when they're able to lay eggs.
"They're great stress relievers and companion animals and it gets you to go outside," she said.
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
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