Egg-onomics: The real cost of raising backyard chickens

Lately, the cost of eggs has been a hot topic, and with the fear of another breakout of the avian flu, the cost may continue to climb. The last time there was a bird flu outbreak in 2015, the cost of eggs spiked 120% within months. Currently, the USDA predicts the price of eggs will increase around 20%–and this is on top of the 65% increase that happened throughout 2024–if you can find them on the grocery shelves at all.

If eggs are a staple in your household, the thought of owning chickens may have crossed your mind once or twice. There are many benefits to owning chickens, such as knowing what you are feeding your flock so you can stay away from added chemicals and hormones if that is what you wish. Further, you can get fresher eggs since all you have to do is go into your backyard and pick from your hen’s nest.

But the big question is, is owning chickens worth it from a financial standpoint?

Let’s break it down.

What you'll learn:

• The cost of building a coop
• The cost of egg-laying hens
• Food and maintenance costs
• Final cost breakdown
• Are owning your own chickens worth it?

The cost of building a coop

To keep the coyotes, foxes and neighborhood cats away from your chickens, they’ll need a coop. The size of the coop and total cost will depend on how many chickens you wish to have. Each chicken should have at least 2-4 square feet of coop space, depending on the type of chicken and whether you have free space for the chickens to roam outside of the coop. With that in mind, if you are only having a few chickens, you could get away with only spending around $300. But if you decide to invest in a larger flock, you might be looking at $500 or more.

The cost of egg-laying hens

Unless you know someone who has a chicken surplus, you’ll need to pay up. Baby chicks can cost between $3 and $5, and egg laying hens can cost between $20 and $50 depending on age. If you want a fancier breed of chicken, you can expect to pay a premium for both chicks and hens. Since chickens are social, you’ll need at least two chickens. If you eat a lot of eggs, you’ll want at least three. On average, it takes 24-26 hours for a hen to lay an egg, and they will not always lay an egg every day. So, if you want to have a few eggs daily, you may want to invest in a few egg laying hens.

Roosters are cheaper – they cost between $5 and $15–but of course, they don’t lay eggs. Also, keep in mind that in some urban areas, they’re not allowed and you will need to check in with your county on what is and isn’t allowed.

Food and maintenance costs

The cost of chicken feed is around $20-$50 a month, depending on the number of chickens you have and type of feed you purchase. To cut this cost down, you can supplement food scraps from your kitchen such as fruits and vegetables.

Not only that, but there is a chance that during your chicken’s life span they may have to visit a vet once of twice. On average, according to the message boards at BackyardChickens.com, owners report vet bills ranging from $25 up to $100 per chicken.

Final cost breakdown

Now let’s try to answer the big question: Are backyard chickens really worth it?

Let’s look at the breakdown:

• Chicken coop: $500
• Egg-laying hens (purchase): $60
• Food: $20/month.
• Chicken-related “extras”: $10/month (This includes things like wood chips, repairs to the coop and water bottles). 

So, to start up, you’re looking at $590, with ongoing costs of roughly $25/month. Of course, this doesn’t include vet bills, which would likely come up at some point.

Are owning your own chickens worth it?

It truly depends. If you love your eggs and the idea of owning your own chickens excites you, then maybe. Plus, you could always sell extra eggs to friends and neighbors to help close the overall cost gap and break even of starting costs more quickly.

But if you don’t really need eggs and are just trying to save a few bucks, then the cost, time commitment and space that they will take up in your yard probably aren’t worth it.