Surging egg prices are causing some Long Island families to think outside the carton.

One West Babylon family is raising its own chickens to produce their breakfast.

Lily Graham, 9, says it was her mother's idea and her father said, "just go for it."

"You save a lot of money from having a pet that produces something that's so expensive," Lily says.

There are six chickens in the Graham family's backyard flock, and Lily is the main caretaker.

She says the hens are excellent sources for putting protein-packed food on the table.

"Each chicken lays one egg a day. So, we have six chickens, so we normally get six eggs a day," Lily says.

Anyone interested in raising chickens to produce eggs needs to check their local ordinances. There are also startup costs to consider, such as buying a coop, feed and baby chicks.