A real budget, from a university
University of Maryland Extension (with Delaware and Tennessee specialists) published a sample budget for 10 hens over three years, raised from chicks. It assumes high-laying breeds, a simple "chicken tractor" coop and run, 20% mortality and supplemental winter light. Prices are the authors' examples, so swap in what you pay locally.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Chicks (10 at $6) | $60 |
| Chick starter and grower feed (3 bags) | $49 |
| Layer feed (47 bags of 50 lb at $15) | $705 |
| Bedding (3 bales) | $45 |
| Egg cartons (50) | $25 |
| Electricity (3 years) | $200 |
| Brooder heater | $50 |
| Feeder and waterer | $75 |
| Feed storage containers | $50 |
| Housing (simple coop and run) | $500 |
| Total | $1,759 |
That works out to $3.37 per dozen eggs, not counting your labor. The authors assume about 4.5 lb of feed per dozen eggs, and about 20 minutes a day of chores.
What the numbers say
Feed is the biggest bill. In the example, layer feed is about 40% of the total, and the University of Maryland team calls feed the most significant expense in egg production. Buying feed in bulk helps, and so does keeping birds out of the feed with a hanging feeder, as we explain in the feeding guide.
Startup costs are a lump sum. The authors say to expect several hundred to over a thousand dollars up front, depending on flock size and where you live, and that those costs are only economical if you keep birds for several years. Your cost per dozen falls every extra year, and every extra hen.
Small flocks cost more per bird. The authors note that cost per bird goes up as flock size goes down, because the housing and equipment are shared by fewer hens.
Your own version. A quick feed estimate: a hen eats roughly ¼ lb a day, about 100 lb a year, which is two 50-lb bags. At $15 a bag, that is around $30 per hen per year before bedding, electricity and replacements. Multiply by your flock.
So are they cheaper than store eggs?
No, not once you count the coop, and that is fine. The Maryland authors put it this way: if you keep eggs for your own table, compare your cost per dozen with the store price adjusted for the extra value and satisfaction of producing them yourself. That is the honest comparison, not the cheapest carton on the shelf.
If you sell eggs, price them to cover your cost per dozen and some profit, and check your state and local rules first. Regulations can cover licensing, labeling, packaging, storage and sanitation. See local rules.
Ways to spend less
- Start with pullets instead of chicks if you want eggs this season, but price in the higher purchase cost. Chicks need starter feed, a heater and months of brooding first.
- Build or buy used housing. The authors note that some keepers spend much more on a coop and others build for much less.
- Keep the flock at least three years so the startup cost is spread out.
- Pick good layers. Breeds like Australorps and Rhode Island Reds turn feed into more eggs.
- Let hens forage and feed garden scraps within the 10% treat limit.
The Maryland team also offers a free spreadsheet to calculate your own cost per dozen.
Quick answers
How much does it cost to start keeping chickens?
University extension specialists say to expect several hundred to over a thousand dollars up front, depending on flock size and your coop. In their 10-hen example, simple housing was $500 and basic equipment about $175 more.
How much does it cost to feed a chicken per year?
A laying hen eats roughly 100 lb of feed a year, which is about two 50-lb bags. At $15 per bag, that is around $30 per hen per year, plus bedding, electricity and replacements.
How much does a dozen backyard eggs cost to produce?
In a University of Maryland Extension example of 10 hens over three years, the cost was about $3.37 per dozen, not counting labor. It falls as you keep birds longer or add hens.
Sources
All dollar figures come from the cited extension example and will differ with your local prices, flock size and housing.