Backyard Chicken Cost Calculator

For a typical 6-hen backyard flock with a $400 coop and started pullets, first-year costs land around $700-$900, mostly the coop. Ongoing costs are mostly feed and bedding, roughly $400-$500 per year. Use the calculator above with your local prices for a precise estimate.

Usually not in year one, because the coop is a fixed cost. Once the coop is paid for, a productive flock often produces eggs at or below store prices, especially when store eggs are expensive. The comparison above shows your ongoing cost per dozen next to your local store price.

About 1/4 pound of layer feed per day, or roughly 1.5 pounds per week, according to university extension publications (e.g., University of Kentucky, Penn State Extension). For 6 hens that is about 9 pounds per week, so a 50 lb bag lasts roughly 5 weeks.

Chicks are cheaper per bird (around $5) but need 5-6 months of feed and care before they lay, plus a brooder setup. Started pullets (around $25 each at ~18 weeks) begin laying within weeks, so they usually pay back faster despite the higher upfront cost.

Break-even depends on coop cost, feed prices, and laying rates. Many flocks cover their ongoing costs once hens are laying steadily; recovering the coop investment typically takes 1-3 years of egg production. The calculator's break-even figure spreads your first-year cost over your expected egg output.

Predator-proofing upgrades, winter water heaters, replacement birds, and vet or culling costs. Budgeting a small monthly miscellaneous amount, as the calculator does, keeps surprises manageable.