Chickens sell out as lockdown fears take hold

“I’ve always wanted them for eggs, and now that we have the virus, it has moved to the top of my priority list,” she said.

“There are lots of people looking to create their own resources.”

After desperately searching online for weeks, Ms Mostert managed to find some for sale in Benalla, and brought the teenage white Langshan bantams home to their new coop on Wednesday.

She hoped the chooks would not only help her save money on eggs, but would be a great educational tool for her four kids, including eight-year-old Nikiiah and 11-year-old Fiona, while they remained at home.

“The process of taking care of the chickens will be a great learning curve for them,” Hope said.

Metry's Poultry Auction owner Braham Metry said chickens had virtually sold out across the region, as people had been purchasing them in droves.

“I had 30 calls from the public asking for birds in half a day,” he said.

“My clients don't have many breeds available, and some are close to selling out.

“In 30 years, I’ve never seen it like I have now.”

This is despite his auctions in Euroa shutting down for the duration of the pandemic.

Mr Metry said for those fortunate to find a bird, the prices had skyrocketed — purebred ones were selling 20% dearer than usual, while other chickens had more than doubled in price.

People have also been buying 10-week-old chooks, which he said was unusual as they would not lay eggs for another two to three months.

Mr Metry said he was concerned buyers were not thinking about the effort required to take care of chickens.

“People are buying the birds first and doing the research later,” he said.

“Commercial super-layers require a different diet compared with a normal backyard bird.”

He said any new owners should do thorough research before purchasing chickens, and talk to a professional about proper care.