El Paso woman turns side hobby of raising chickens into a side hustle

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- As egg prices continue to rise across the U.S., many are turning to other alternatives. One woman is selling fresh chicken eggs from her own backyard.

Cassandra Hockman told ABC-7 she was able to turn her love of animals into a side business. She said she started with the objective of her children getting to witness the life cycle of a chicken.

"It was just to see the reaction on my kids, to see it hatching and how excited they get. It kind of grew from there," she said.

Hockman has 10 chickens. She said in one day alone, altogether, they lay an average of one dozen eggs. The resident of El Paso said she had to get a permit from the city since she has more than six.

In March, she started selling the surplus, promoting the sale on social media.

“I just, just posted, you know, and now that my husband, you know, deployed, we don't even eat that much eggs. So I just, I figured, okay, well, now that I have overstocked, I'm going to go ahead and provide and put it out there.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, eggs reached a new record high in March: $6.23 per dozen.

In March 2024, they were $2.99 a dozen.

Hockman sells each dozen for $5 dollars. She said the price is fair and many customers are returning clients.

She said she also sells Muscovy duck eggs, which are much larger than chicken eggs. Hockman said they're richer and popular for baking.

"When she saw my post, she was kind of excited and reaching out to me, and she's like, 'I want four dozen.' So, $5 a dozen. I mean, I wouldn't go up any higher than that," Hockman said.
 
She also incubates eggs and sells baby chicks. She said the demand for people wanting chicks has been higher than customers wanting chicken eggs. In March alone, she sold close to 50.

"They all sold within, like, five minutes. Once they hatched, I had a lot of people reaching out, like, 'How are the chicks doing? Have they hatched yet? I can't wait; I'm so excited'."

Hockman said she has 160 eggs currently incubating. Those are from chickens, ducks and jumbo quail. She said she sells chicks anywhere between $5 and 10 dollars each.

With her husband currently deployed in Poland, Hockman said this has become more than a hobby.

“I am making a profit. I'm not going to stop. I love what I do, and I'm actually, I'm wanting to grow my flock, which, in the future, I am looking at having my own land," she added.

Her goal is to one day have 60 chickens. For now, she said this as a way of giving back and helping others.

For those interested in raising backyard chickens, Hockman said it's important for people to be educated on all aspects.