First they came for the toilet paper, then the pasta. Now chicken breeders are being inundated as more householders turn to backyard chooks for egg supplies while supermarket shelves empty of staple food products.

Key points: A chicken wholesaler is seeing a 30 per cent spike in commercial layers from buyers "wanting to be self sufficient"

A chicken wholesaler is seeing a 30 per cent spike in commercial layers from buyers "wanting to be self sufficient" Point-of-lay-aged chickens are selling out, but younger chicks are offered at a discount price to account for the cost of extra feed

Point-of-lay-aged chickens are selling out, but younger chicks are offered at a discount price to account for the cost of extra feed Suppliers of heritage breeds, which take much longer to produce their first egg but live longer, are also seeing a surge of interest

Bond Enterprises in Queensland's Lockyer Valley has had a 30 per cent spike in sales of egg layers since the weekend as people look to become more self-sufficient during the coronavirus pandemic.

They supply retailers such as rural and produce supply stores and pet shops, as well as small commercial pastured farmers from far north Queensland through to South Australia.

Chicks will be months off laying an egg, but demand for chickens is spiking as the pandemic produces supermarket shortages. ( ABC Sunshine Coast: Megan Kinninment )

"It's mainly just people wanting to be self sufficient," said Bond Enterprises operations manager Travis Bond.

"Having birds in their backyard being able to produce a product, a table egg, that they know where it's coming from. And it's fresh."

While Bond Enterprises usually sell chickens at point-of-lay age — around 16-18 weeks — they are looking at having to sell younger birds not yet producing eggs to meet consumer demands.

"If needs be, we may have to [sell] 13 or 14-week-old birds as the demand keeps on spiralling," he said.

"[We would] discount the birds accordingly so that people aren't losing out with the additional feed that they'll have to have to feed the birds before they produce an egg."

It is a welcome boon for an industry which has felt the impact of increased grain sales during Australia's drought.

"Sales for retail backyard chooks have declined over the last five to six years quite considerably," Mr Bond said.

"This is a welcome little bonus for us with the virus that's floating around and the general public being so wary of it at the moment."

Benefits of owning chickens

Mr Bond warns people will still have a wait before their chickens start laying eggs.

Heritage chicken breeds like the gold laced wyandotte will outlive a commercial layer. ( ABC Sunshine Coast: Megan Kinninment )

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"Usually the point-of-lay chook will start laying within two to six weeks," he said.

But, he said, the wait will pay off — even with the current increased cost of grain.

"It still comes out fairly equitable and fairly even with what you'd be paying for a medium-priced egg in the supermarket, as well as having the benefit of knowing where the eggs come from," Mr Bond said.

While commercial egg layer breeders are flat out supplying the retail market, smaller poultry suppliers dedicated to heritage breeds are also seeing a surge of interest in backyard chickens and more sustainable lifestyles.

Kate Grealy, who runs the Sunshine Coast-based Perma-Poultry Market, said a heritage bird can take much longer to produce their first egg — up to seven months in some breeds — but are worth the investment in the longer term.

"They don't lay as many eggs over a year, but they live for many more years," she said.

"A commercial layer breed may lay eggs for around 14 months, whereas some of the larger heritage breeds may be laying for five to eight years."